A Different World Book 2 Working Title
by Carya
Summary: Ch 16 up,NOW COMPLETE!; The twins Second year at Hogwarts, my version of POA, read inside to know why. Will be HPHG, DMGW, TROC
1. Chapter 01 The Holidays

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Harry Potter - A Different World - Book 2

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Title: Harry Potter - A Different World - Book 2

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Author: Carya Black  
**Author Email**: webmaster caryablack.de  
**Author's Homepage**: http:www. caryablack.de (still heavily under construction)

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Category: AU, General, Romance

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Pairings: HP/HG, DM/GW, will be TMR/OC too  
**Rating**: PG-13 (might change later)

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Spoilers: The Sorcerer's Stone and The Prisoner of Azkaban  
**Disclaimer**: Carya and the plot changes belong to me, the rest belongs to JKR. I do not make any money with this. It's just a story written from one fan for all the others to read. I got some Ideas from other stories as well. They will be mentioned in the following disclaimers, so please don't flame me. I know whom they belong to and respect the ideas of other authors. I only use them because I loved them! Please don't get mad at me if you find something copied from the books apologetic smile. Harry and Carya might get slightly Mary-Sueish but I need this for my story, so don't flame me. Flames will only be used to heat my room and to roast marshmallows evilgrin.

Notes: Since this is an AU fic some things are different. Ginny is the same age as Harry and Carya. Ron is almost a year older but hadn't been able to attend Hogwarts earlier. Snape behaves different sometimes too. I also am switching positions of book two and three because I need the kids to be older when the Chamber of Secrets is opened. There'll definitely be a few changes and additions to the story. 

I also unknowingly altered Hermione's birthday. According to JKR she's been born on September 19th. But I didn't know that. Now her birthday is February 4th (look into my character descriptions for details. They are on my homepage under the following link:

http:fanfiction.caryablack.de/adw/index.html)

Summary: Basically the twins second year at Hogwarts, originally this would've been book three but I switched the positions of book two and three. Some surprises are in here too. So read, review and enjoy.

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Warnings: There's a reason for Carya and Harry being in Slytherin. It's not just for the fun of it. But this isn't a Dark!Carya, Dark!Harry story. They only aren't all that goodie-Gryffindor. 

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Carya [grinning evilly]: 'Hardly possible if we are in Slytherin don't you think, my dear author?'

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Author: 'Oh shut up Carya, I had to warn them so they don't fall out of their chairs, understood?'

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Carya: 'Yes, Master, Mylady or whatever you like to be called ...' [gets hit on the back of her head]

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Author: 'Prat' [author is pouting now]

... = Parseltongue

/.../ = Telepathy between Harry & Carya (_in italics_)

' ... ' = thoughts

  
  
... = Flashback or changing POV 

Disclaimer: Not mine, I only own some of the plot of this fanfic and Carya, some parts might be copied from the book (hopefully not very much. I tried to keep it to a minimum), you might notice that some people got into different houses than in the books by JKR; this has only minor reasons, but I need them to be where they are now 

Author's Notes: The first Chapter of the second book. As You'll notice this is actually my version of the Prisoner of Azkaban. Right! I swapped position between book two and three to fit into my plot ideas.

The posting of Chapter two might or might not take a while. I've finished most of it but I still need to get some pictures ready and uploaded before I even attempt posting the chapter. The pictures are necessary because I somewhat lack the ability to describe them properly.

I really hope you like this. There are hopefully less copied text passages as in book 1 though. I tried to bring in some original ideas as well. 

Chapter 01 - The Holidays or Ginny, Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley

It was the second week of holidays. Carya and Harry had just gotten up when the phone rang. Uncle Vernon answered it.

"Hello?! Vernon Dursley here. What? Carya or Harry? Of course, wait a second. ... Harry, Carya, telephone!!" he said although the last part was yelled.

Carya who was much more awake than her brother got down in an instant and took the phone.

"Hello, Carya here! Ginny is that you? Why are you crying? They did **_what_**?!?!? I'll kill your brothers the next time I see them. ... So your parents have gotten over it, eh? Good thing to hear. ... You want to visit us? Brilliant, wait, I'll just ask my aunt if it's alright ...," Carya told her friend. "Aunt Petunia? Could one or two friends of us come over for the rest of the holidays?" she asked.

"Well, I don't see why not. Just tell them, that they can't do magic around here, not that you kids are allowed to do it in the holidays anyway, eh?" she said smiling teasingly.

"Ginny, you hear me? You can come over, any time you want that is. Tonight? Okay, I'll make sure the fireplace is free. See you later, bye!" Carya finished and hang up.

Just that moment Harry came down the stairs. His sister told him immediately what had happened. When she mentioned what the Weasley boys had done to their friend his face grew dark. Like Carya he was already plotting revenge for mistreating their friend. 

"Arrgh, I'll kill them! How dare they! How dare they treat Ginny like that. She's their sister for Merlin's sake. I'd never even THINK of treating my siblings like that. I swear I'll hex them on sight the next time. And no one will be able to stop me! They'll never know what hit them, or who!" Harry ranted.

Carya then called Hermione who was delighted to hear that she could spend the holidays with her friends but she wanted to stay another week with her parents. Though she would be there for the twins birthday. 

Dudley was a bit scared about the two mentioned guests. Not that he minded them for being witches, no, he was afraid his cousins wouldn't want to be with him anymore. His worries vanished that afternoon when a schoolfriend of his invited him over to London so Dudley would leave the next morning and visit his friend.

It was shortly after dinner when Carya and Harry heard the floo-connection activate. A few moments later Ginny tumbled out of the fireplace, dragging a medium sized trunk behind her. As soon as the redhead spotted the twins she ran over and hugged them both. Ginny kept saying over and over how happy she was that she had been allowed to stay for the remainder of the summer.

"Carya, Harry! Oh, I've missed you so much. You can't imagine how horrible it was at home. Okay, Mum and Dad eventually accepted that I'm in Slytherin but my brothers don't. They are still treating me like the plague. I'm so, so happy that I'm here," Ginny said with tears visible in her eyes.

"I'm so glad that I can stay with you. Are you really sure that your aunt and uncle don't mind? And what about your cousin?" she asked.

The twins stared at her and then assured that everything was okay. As if on cue Dudley walked into the room and greeted Ginny.

"Eh, hello. I'm Dudley, Carya and Harry's cousin. Pleased to meet you," he said awkwardly. "I've never met another witch or wizard before. I only know the twins," he continued with a shy smile.

She then stiffened a bit when Petunia and Vernon walked into the living room. The young witch never had been all alone with muggles before (well, she wasn't ALL that alone now because Carya and Harry were with her but she'd never been around muggles without a member of her family). The Dursley's greeted her warmly. 

"Hello dear. So you are the mysterious friend my niece and nephew wanted to have staying here so desperately? Welcome to our home. My name is Petunia Dursley. You can call me Petunia if you like. Ah, I see you've already met my son, Dudley? This is Vernon, my husband," Petunia said softly as not to scare Ginny.

"Eh, hello Petunia, Mister Dursley. My name is Virginia Weasley but I'd prefer if you'd just call me Ginny. Thank you for letting me stay with you," Ginny answered.

"Well Ginny there's no need to be that formal. You can call me Vernon if you like. Harry, would you and Dudley bring Ginny's luggage upstairs? Carya, you can show her around if she wants to," Vernon told them.

They didn't care about who and what she was or which house she was in at Hogwarts. The only thing important to them was her being best friends with their niece and nephew.

Ginny instantly felt better and smiled happily. She would stay in the guest bedroom for now because Carya still shared the bedroom with her twin. Most people found it odd that fraternal twins of their age still wanted to stay in one room but it has always been like that for them and they wouldn't want to change it right now. And frankly they didn't care what others thought of that. 

Vernon had convinced them to have a second room ready just in case they wanted a change. So the twins had started to renovate the attic. It was fairly large and once ready would be a wonderful bedroom or guest room. Ginny wanted to help them.

"Wow, this is cool. Wait 'til we've painted the walls. It'll be so much better then. And a few pieces of furniture wouldn't be bad either..." Ginny told them once they reached the attic.

Since the twins had already done most of the cleaning part they now began to move everything that wasn't needed to either the rubbish or down to the cellar. By doing so the found some interesting items. For example Lily Evans old toys or her clothes, photo albums and such.

"Hey Harry look, this was once Mums!" Carya exclaimed and held up a beautiful dress that most likely would fit her. She was positively smiling and decided to keep her mothers stuff.

"It's beautiful! You really should keep it and try it on later, Carya. What do you think Ginny?" he said in return.

"Yeah, Harry's right. I bet if it fits you'll like just like your Mum, only with different hair and eye colour," Ginny said smirking slightly with mischief showing in her eyes.

Ten minutes later the three children where on their way to the shopping center. They needed some paint, cloth for the hangings and it was necessary to look for a proper carpet. It wasn't that difficult because they knew the measures but they had to make sure it matched the cloth for the curtains and the paint.

They first choose the paint. Well the argued over it and finally agreed on a light sand-coloured one. It would be bright enough but not dazzling. They then choose some cloth for the curtains they'd make. It was a light blue, just like the summer sky. The carpet they choose was a mix of many shades of blue and green.

Carya and Ginny started painting while Harry happily played the house elf and got them something to drink and to eat. They were joking around much and in the end there was as much paint on the walls as was on the three of them.

It was already past midnight when aunt Petunia mentioned they should go to bed if they wanted to go to London the next morning. The kids agreed and went to the bathrooms to clean themselves. After that they said good night to each other and soon fell asleep. 

Around ten in the morning after they'd eaten breakfast the twins, Ginny, Dudley and Vernon got into the car and drove to London. Vernon was bringing Dudley to his friends house and would stay there for a few hours. That gave the young wizards the chance to roam _'Diagon Alley'_ and perhaps even Muggle London for about three hours.

"Well then. I'll collect you here in three hours, okay? Please be on time. It's difficult to find a parking space around this place," Vernon told them.

"Yes Uncle Vernon. We'll try," Harry said. 

Carya said goodbye to her cousin. "Bye Dudley! Have a nice year at Smelting's!" 

"See you next summer, dear cousin," Harry added.

But Carya had the final word this time. "Don't do anything we wouldn't do, Dudley!" she said smirking and everyone else started laughing. They knew Carya was just teasing him because she would miss him too.

"I promise, my beloved cousin. The same goes for you too, I might add," Dudley replied with a grin when he and Vernon drove on.

At first they went to Gringotts where all three of them were watched closely by the other wizards and witches but the kids didn't really notice. Harry and Carya exchanged the money they had gotten for christmas (which was fairly much for twelve year olds grin). It had been 100 pounds for each of them, that meant they had 19 galleons, 9 sickles and 6 knuts. 

When they went back outside they noticed the inscription on the doors for the first time. Both of the twins wondered why they hadn't seen this the last time they'd been there.

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Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed,

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn.

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there.

They started fidgeting slightly as they received the moneybags. Even though Ginny had told them that she didn't mind, the twins still felt uncomfortable when they had that much money and their friend had next to nothing for herself. Most of the twins money was spent on books as usual. And also as usual they decided to buy different books even if their twin was interested in the subject. 

Carya again bought books about hexes, curses and potions. They were called _'The Encyclopaedia of Hexes and Curses - Part I' by Meredith Blake_, _'Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed_', _'Potions and their Various Uses' by Severus Snape_ and _'An extensive Guide to Potion Ingredients' by Arsenius Jigger_. This time she added a book about animagi which was titled _'How to find the beast within yourself' by Francis Tiger_ to her collection which got her an odd look from the shop assistant. 

Harry got books about charms, transfiguration called _'Tricky Transfigurations' by Emeric Switch_, defence titled _'Defend yourself against the Dark Arts - Intermediate Guide' by Quentin Tremble_ and this time a book about famous quidditch players and their careers called _'The Who is Who of Quidditch'_ _by Kennilworthy Whisp_. 

"Do you two do anything else than read? Are you sure you don't belong in Ravenclaw?" Ginny teased the twins and they just laughed.

"Well, Ginny, you should know by now that knowledge is power," Carya said teasingly, "and power is what most of us Slytherin's crave for, isn't it?" she continued with a mock serious expression that made Ginny laugh.

"If you two are quite finished, then we can continue browsing the bookshelves and then buy our new sources of knowledge, can't we?" Harry threw in with a happy smile. The girls just continued giggling. 

Carya and Harry were only this cheerful and relaxed when they were with their little group of friends, consisting of Harry, Carya, Ginny and Hermione. Well last year they'd Draco too but they all had the distinct feeling that they wouldn't see much of their friend this year.

Once they had chosen all books they wanted to have they went to the counter to pay for them. Their next stop was Quality for Quidditch where Harry bought himself a second pair of seeker gloves because he wanted to be prepared. After the quidditch shop they stopped at Madam Malkin's to look at the casual robes. Ginny stared at them longingly because she always had to wear the hand-me-downs from her brothers. 

Carya of course had an idea. Since she and Ginny were the same height she would 'lend' Ginny a few of her casuals and deliberately 'forget' to take them back by changing the name tags once they were at Hogwarts. They spend what seemed like an eternity to try on robes of all colours and types.

Harry got himself an emerald green and a dark blue robe. Carya had a Slytherin green robe (the colour was close to a deep forest green), two blue robes, one almost midnight blue and the other one matching her eye colour and her third robe was a bluegreen sea-coloured one. It didn't really suit her but it was perfect for Ginny and this would be her birthday present for the Weasley girl. They also got some new schoolrobes because they'd outgrown theirs. 

After they left the robe shop they separated for half an hour to buy some birthday presents for their friends. Carya's and Harry's birthday was in two weeks and Ginny's birthday was in early October. Hermione's and Draco's birthday were still too far way **_and_** they were after christmas, so they decided against already buying one for them. The kids didn't bother to go through every single shop like they wanted to because they still would be coming here to get their school supplies in August. 

Ginny instantly went back to Flourish and Blotts. She'd seen the books Carya had been looking at and she also knew of a quidditch book that Harry didn't have. But to her disappointment they were too expensive. So she settled on chocolate frogs and some candy. She knew that the twins collected the cards and that by now only a few were still missing.

On her way to the _'Diagon Alley'_ Version of Honeydukes she ran into Hermione. The young Ravenclaw was out to get the twins a birthday present. When Ginny heard that Hermione wanted to get them books she had an idea. She'd tell Hermione which books the twins had been looking at. So they'd still get them as presents. It was almost as good as if Ginny could buy them herself. 

After Hermione was told they went back inside and purchased _'Beating the Bludgers-- A Study of Defensive Strategies in Quidditch' by Kennilworthy Whisp_ for Harry and _'Defensive and Offensive Potions' by Selena Solvus _for Carya. 'This is the perfect birthday present' Hermione and Ginny thought at the same time. Once again outside they departed and Hermione went back to the '_Leaky Cauldron_' where her parents were waiting.

Harry and Carya did something different. They walked right into _'Knockturn Alley'_. Harry hid his face behind his hair and Carya did the same. This combined with their Slytherin robes was enough not to be bothered. They went into one of the bookshops and started browsing the shelves. One hand always next to their wands.

Soon they found what they were looking for. Carya took _'Most Potente Potions'_ and Harry chose _'Dark Arts Uncovered - A non-censored copy of 'Dark Arts Intermediate' '_. The owner of the shop looked at them curiously but Harry stayed behind his sister and she just scowled darkly at the man. 

In return he was trying to find out if he could cheat on them about the prize but he quickly changed his mind when he saw Carya fingering her wand quite visibly. 

For all he knew they could be the children of a powerful wizard who normally bought his things down _'Knockturn Alley'_. They were in Slytherin after all. That was the reason the twins had dared to come here at all. Every wizard or witch seemed to think that being in Slytherin already marked you as dark.

After paying for their books they quickly hid them in their bags and calmly walked back to _'Diagon Alley'_. They met Ginny again at 'Florean Fortescue's Ice Parlour'. The girls decided that it was time for some ice-cream and Harry happily agreed with them. 

While they ware talking about anything and everything _'Diagon Alley'_ seemed to become a bit more crowded. It was almost lunch time and many people were doing their daily shopping now.

Please Read and Review!

Carya 


	2. Chapter 02 Sirius Black and Discoveries

Disclaimer: Not mine, I only own some of the plot of this fanfic and Carya, some parts might be copied from the book (hopefully not very much. I tried to keep it to a minimum), you might notice that some people got into different houses than in the books by JKR; this has only minor reasons, but I need them to be where they are now 

Author's Notes: Took me some time to get this out but I had to get the pictures ready. I hope the site is working. If not send me an email and shout at me to send the pictures to you, 'kay? 

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Chapter 02 - Sirius Black and Discoveries or The Injured Dog

At first they didn't notice the curious and odd glances everyone seemed to throw at the Potter twins whether it was because of them being alone or because of them wearing Slytherin robes. As soon as they noticed and looked around people kept looking away. Suddenly they saw a young wizard selling a special Edition of that days _'Daily Prophet'_. Curious as always Carya bought one, too. What caught their interest immediately was the headline on the front page.

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Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban!

a special report by Audrey Skeeter

The impossible has happened! This morning the ministry confirmed that Sirius Black, Death-Eater and You-Know-Who's right-hand man who was imprisoned in Azkaban for eleven years has now somehow escaped. He was charged for murder of twelve muggles and one wizard, namely Peter Pettigrew, in November 1981 with a single curse. Dozens of aurors from the MLE (Magical Law Enforcement) are currently trying to recapture Black who seems to have vanished from earth.

Although the Minister of Magic keeps telling us that everything is under control the ministry has informed the Muggle ministry about Black. Of course they don't tell the muggles the whole truth. According to them Black is armed with a gun (a muggle device muggle criminals use for killing people). The answers to our questions about this murderer were quite different. While the Minister insisted on having everything under control other people kept mumbling about how insane Black really is. _'absolutely nuts that man, probably thinks his master is still here'_ a ministry worker said; a guard told us _'kept mumbling something about Hogwarts, really scary, I can tell you'_. 

I don't need to tell you that if this is true certain people at Hogwarts will be in grave danger until Black is caught. We can only hope that Merlin is with us and that Black is caught as soon as possible. Concerned mothers went as far as saying' I wouldn't let my children out on the streets anymore' and 'we don't even leave the house after sunset'. People are afraid and the ministry has yet to prove that they are indeed able to handle this situation.

Carya paled immediately but not for the reason most people would imagine. She dragged her friends away from the crowd in an instant and stopped short before the entrance to Knockturn Alley. Most people kept away from that street for obvious reasons, so they were relatively undisturbed.

"There's something I have to tell you two, especially you Harry but not here, I'll tell you when we get home. Someone might overhear us, and we can't put up a silencing charm without using magic," she whispered to her brother and friend. Both nodded and didn't ask any further.

Suddenly they felt uneasy in _'Diagon Alley'_ and headed back towards the '_Leaky Cauldron_'. The kids still had one and a half hour left and decided to go to Muggle London for the remainder of the time. As soon as they got onto Charing Cross Road most of the tension left them. The twins used this occasion to show their friend what muggle London was like. Carya, Harry and Ginny visited many odd shops and stores but soon stopped at a small clothes shop, much to Harry's chagrin. He just knew that Carya would buy them new clothes. Not that they needed any. 

They had enough clothes to equip at least two other people. But he also knew that protesting was useless. When his twin set herself on something she would do it. Thirty minutes later he had some new summer clothes, mostly shirts and shorts. Carya and Ginny had some new ones too. The Potter girl had insisted that Ginny got new clothes too. Clothes that fit her and that were not hand-me-downs or second-hand. 

"Take it as an early birthday present if you like, Ginny. You look gorgeous! Wait until the boys see you," Carya said and smiled evilly. Ginny of course knew that Carya still would give her something else for her birthday but she loved her friend dearly and accepted this unusual gift. 

She was happy. Here were two people who had accepted her from the first minute. They'd never questioned her because of her heritage, her name or anything else. They were just friends and Ginny loved it this way. It was the same with Hermione but also very different because they didn't share the same house at Hogwarts. She'd only been afraid of them once. That was when she'd found out about their pet-snakes. (A/N: I deliberately didn't mention the snakes any further in book 1 because they will be more important in the next books, perhaps even here!!)

Ginny was one of the very few who knew about them having snakes. Hermione and Professor Snape and perhaps Headmaster Dumbledore (just because he seems to know everything that happens at Hogwarts) knew about that fact. Not even Draco knew, yet. She still wondered how they could've hidden this for so long. 

After the clothes shop they stopped at a store that sold all types of sweets. Each of them got their favourite muggle type. Harry had blackcurrant flavoured drops, Carya bought cherry drops, Ginny's were strawberry flavoured and together they bought a huge tin of lemon drops. That would be an anonymous christmas present for their headmaster. They also bought some sugar-free peppermint drops for Hermione because she liked those best.

Soon it was time to meet with Vernon and to get back to Privet Drive No.4. The nearer they got the quieter the three children went. Vernon found this odd but thought that they were just exhausted. Actually Ginny and Harry were thinking about what Carya would've to tell them and Carya thought about how to tell them the best way. 

Once they got home they found the house empty. Apparently Petunia had gone shopping. Vernon settled himself in the living room with today's paper and the kids went upstairs towards the twins bedroom.

"Well, Carya, what was it that you wanted to tell us? What is so important that no one else can hear, and why were you so upset about that newspaper article. I know he's dangerous, of course, and the comment about Hogwarts ... I think that Skeeter woman meant us but that is not the reason for this, is it?" Harry asked while Ginny just watched.

"No, it's not really about that article. It's about Black in general ... Oh Harry, I don't know how to tell you ..." Carya sighed.

"Carya, ... " Ginny said softly, "... just start. Everything will be fine. Okay?" Carya only nodded and swallowed once.

"See, I know who Sirius Black is. Not only that what the Daily Prophet wrote about him. There's something else. Something I'm sure about, no one, except our parents would want the two of us to know, Harry. It is something that mum wrote in her diary ... the diary she left in my vault ..." Carya started explaining and hesitated for a second. Before Harry or Ginny could say something she continued. "You see, Mum and Dad knew Black very well. 

They were in school with him, and with that Pettigrew guy too. They were a famous prankster group at Hogwarts, not unlike your twin brothers Ginny. They were called _'The Marauders'_ and in that group were our parents, James Potter and Lily Evans, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew and ... Sirius Black. They actually were best friends. Although the newspaper didn't write about it, I still know more. There was another thing he was accused of. It was the betrayal of our parents Harry, they say he was the one who betrayed Mum and Dad." At this Harry wanted to interrupt, angry as he was but Carya held up her hand and looked at him pleadingly to listen.

"I know what you think. I did it too at first but not anymore once I'd finished with Mums Diary. Mum did never believe that he would betray them. She always loved him like a brother and she wrote too, that she suspected Pettigrew to be the one who spied on them. She never really liked Peter but trusted Remus and Sirius more than anyone else, except Dad of course. Dad seemed to think it was their friend Remus who spied on them. Why I don't know, Mum didn't mention it. 

Did you know that Black never got a trial? They didn't even question him. He was just carted off to Azkaban. Odd, don't you think? Normally people get questioned under Veritaserum but he didn't. Well, the real reason why I wanted to talk to you, and why I am inclined to believe Mum more than the newspapers is that Mum and Dad made him our godfather. Harry what comes next is the most difficult to believe since apparently no one else has known of this. 

Mum wrote that they switched secret keepers in the last moment. She said that they changed from Sirius to Peter for some odd reason. I only know that Black wasn't our parents secret keeper, and that means that he's at least innocent on behalf of betraying our family. I even have a photo of him before his time in Azkaban, with our parents and their friends too. 

You'll never guess what they did in school. They became animagi, illegally, in their fifth year. No one ever found out, not even Dumbledore. I have a photo of their animagus forms too. Want to see it?" Harry said yes and Ginny wanted to look too. "... Eh, and Ginny, you promise to not tell anyone, except Hermione?" Carya asked a bit worried since Ginny's father worked in the ministry. Ginny nodded and Carya fetched the diary from the bottom of her trunk.

Before she showed them she told the other two about her idea of becoming animagi themselves this year, secretly of course. Ginny and Harry liked the idea and Hermione would too, even if she'd be a little apprehensive at first about breaking a rule as big as that. In the middle of the Diary were two photos. Both of them in full colour. One showed five humans, the other five animals. 

Photos (perhaps I'll find someone to draw them for me, since I'm not that good, or I'll make a collage with other people drawing, giving them credit of course) Here's a description:

On the photo with the humans there were from the left to the right, Peter Pettigrew, Lily Evans, James Potter, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin.

On the photo with the animagus forms were the stag (_James_) on the left, next to him the tiger (_Lily_) and on the right was the werewolf (_Remus_). I front of them were the dog (_Sirius_) on the right hand side and the rat (_Peter_) was sitting on the floor in front of the stag.

Their nicknames were inscribed on the back of the human photo. Peter Michael Pettigrew / Wormtail, Lily Amelia Evans / Tiger, James David Potter / Prongs, Sirius Orion Black / Padfoot, Remus Jeremy Lupin / Moony.

On the back of the second photo was an explanation who was which animal (see above). 

(If you want to see the photos go to _www.caryablack.de/fanfiction/adw/index.html_ and see them under _'Miscellaneous'_.)

They looked at the photos for a few minutes until the silence became unbearable. That was much to take in for Harry and even Ginny could only stare dumbfounded. After a few minutes the children were called down for dinner. They didn't do much after that and went to bed early.

The next morning wasn't any better. They still were shocked by what they'd found out yesterday and breakfast was eaten in silence. Petunia was worried but the children assured her that everything was fine. Again they lapsed into an uncomfortable silence until Carya sighed and asked if they wanted to go for a walk in the park. 

Ginny and Harry agreed. They didn't know that they wouldn't stay outside for long. The kids got there by bike (Ginny borrowed Aunt Petunia's [snicker, imagine Petunia on a bike]). Ginny's bike had a bicycle trailer behind it. This contained some sandwiches and a blanket for them to sit on.

As soon as they reached the park they could hear a soft whimpering from nearby. The twins and Ginny searched a few minutes until they found the source of the pained noise. It was a large black dog. He was bleeding and he also seemed to have an injured leg. 

"Harry, Ginny, over here. I've found it," Carya called for the other two.

"The poor dog. Who would do that to an animal? That's just plain cruel," Ginny said sadly.

"We have to help him girls. Why don't you go fetch our bikes and I try to put kind of a bandage around the worst wounds. I'll use the old tablecloth we had for a blanket, okay?" Harry asked and the girls ran back to their bikes.

Harry instantly liked the dog with those incredibly blue eyes, Ginny just wanted to help him and Carya thought about both lines but had the distinct feeling that she had seen him somewhere else before.

"I could swear I've seen him before. The dog, I mean. I just can't remember where. Let's hurry. I bet Harry's already waiting for us," Carya told Ginny.

"You're right. Do we bring him to a veterinarian or take him to your house?" the redhead asked.

"No, we have to bring him home. The next veterinary is too far away. I doubt he would live through it," Carya said and then added in a whisper, "I still have the healing potions we made in the last potions class."

Once the girls reached the spot where Harry was waiting they carefully put the injured animal on the trailer and drove home. The injuries seemed quite serious and the next veterinarian was 10 miles away. Luckily Carya had remembered the healing potions they'd made in the last week of classes and since they'd had to test them she knew that they were perfect. Once they arrived at No.4 Privet Drive they carefully carried the dog upstairs and hid him in the twins bedroom. Ginny and Harry stayed with him while Carya fetched the potions from their trunks in the attic.

The kids had quite some difficulties to make him drink the potions but finally succeeded. A few minutes later the whimpering ceased and the dogs breathing became more steadily. He soon fell asleep after that which was perfectly normal since he had lost quite a bit of blood. He kept sleeping most of the time. Carya, Harry and Ginny made sure he ate and drank something between his naps. 

Petunia had been very little amused when she'd found out that they had brought a 'ruddy street dog' into her house but she allowed it when she heard in which condition they'd found him. "Poor thing, okay you can keep him for the holidays. We'll decide what to do with him once the summer is over," Petunia said and Vernon agreed to that. 

Soon Hermione came over too. When she heard about the animagi plans of the twins she was absolutely excited. This was perhaps the first time that she wanted to break a rule out of pure and full purpose. But the first thing they'd talked about was Sirius Black. Hermione was really afraid that he would indeed harm her friends but when the three told her what Lily had written in her diary she calmed down. Though they still didn't know if he did kill all those people or not.

They started their animagus training the second day after Hermione's arrival. Now Harry knew why exactly his sister had bought this particular book. It contained a step by step instruction how to become an animagus. They now knew why the man at 'Flourish and Blotts' had looked at them that oddly. 

When they weren't training they continued to work in the attic. The children had already painted the walls and now only the floor and the furnishing was left. Vernon helped them to find some not so expensive furniture.

(A/N: I know that the Marauders needed five years for this but they chose a different type of training and they did not slit it up. Who says I have to be rational about me hero's magical abilities? evilgrin )

Please Read AND Review.

Thx ,

Carya

Review responses in Author's Note in moving Chapter!


	3. Chapter 03 Birthday Surprises

Disclaimer: Not mine, I only own some of the plot of this fanfic and Carya, some parts might be copied from the book (hopefully not very much. I tried to keep it to a minimum), you might notice that some people got into different houses than in the books by JKR; this has only minor reasons, but I need them to be where they are now 

Author's Notes: Crap. Sorry for the delay. I'm rather busy with work at the moment and too tired to write much in the evenings if I even want to keep up to date with the stories I'm currently reading. The updates will be slower until I adjusted to the strange work I'm doing right now. Please forgive me for that. 

I will let you know though that I intend to continue my series at least until the end of Book 5! I already have some vague plot outlines for many parts of the books 3, 4 and 5 but I haven't fully written them. That'll take some time. 

The chapters will hopefully become longer as my writing skills increase (I'm not saying that I'm a good writer. I'm just doing this for fun and nothing else.) 

****

Chapter 03 - Birthday Surprises or Parseltongue and Unexpected Turns

Soon it was the 31st of July, the twins birthday. They had a great breakfast and as usual the dog slept right through it. The children had named him Snuffles despite his Grim-like appearance just because they thought he was quite cute for such a big dog. It was a wonderful day and the sun was shining again after it had rained for three days non-stop. When they'd finished breakfast a few owls came flying through the open kitchen window.

Petunia immediately looked out to see if anyone had noticed the strange birds but as always her worries were totally unfounded. There were two owls. The black one was Draco's eagle owl and he was carrying two parcels. The shabby brown one was unfamiliar but she carried a small parcel and four letters. 

As soon as they'd untied the parcels from Draco's owl he hooted and took off just like the other had done once Harry had untied the letters. They were from Hogwarts. One for each of them. And Draco had sent them birthday presents. Petunia then ushered the kids into the living room where Vernon and a small table with presents for each of the twins were waiting.

Their aunt and uncle had gotten them some new clothes (what an irony isn't it insert evilgrin here), a new portable CD-player, new games for Carya's computer and Harry's Playstation and a photo album with pictures of Petunia, Lily and their grandparents. They also got twenty pounds for fun when they went to buy their school supplies. 

They almost got into a fight when Vernon announced that he would pay for the school supplies because the twins liked to be independent. They thought that their aunt and uncle had already spent enough money on them but they agreed that their relatives would only pay for those things on their supplies list. After opening the presents from their aunt and uncle they started on those from their friends.

They got chocolate frogs and sugar quills from Ginny, books about Quidditch for Harry purchased (_'Beating the Bludgers-- A Study of Defensive Strategies in Quidditch') _for Harry and Potions (_'Defensive and Offensive Potions'_) for Carya from Hermione and from Draco they got books too. The one for Harry was on Quidditch ('_Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland'_) and the one for Carya on hexes and curses (_'The Encyclopaedia of Hexes and Curses - Part II' by Meredith Blake_). That was a typical present. They were just the topics they'd talked about when they'd first met. Carya had been reading a book about hexes and Harry had been talking about quidditch to Draco.

Later that day they opened their Hogwarts letters. As always they got the list with required school supplies. It wasn't that long this time because they'd barely new subjects and the only new teacher would probably be in Defence against the Dark Arts. But some subjects needed more advanced books now. They stored the letters in their trunks and enjoyed the twins birthday.

Over the following week they practised on clearing their minds which was a necessary procedure if they wanted to speed up the animagus training. In one of those sessions Carya again felt as if she'd seen Snuffles somewhere before finding him but she couldn't follow her train of thought because aunt Petunia had just called them down for lunch. Carya brought the diary along and after lunch the four children sat in the garden. 

The twins snakes were with them and they were happily hissing and slithered through the grass. When the twins suddenly stared at their pets and started laughing they got confused and curious looks from their friends. The snakes had hissed something as they were lazily lying in the afternoon sun. Ginny and Hermione were wondering why their friends were laughing all of a sudden. 

Sure, they knew about the twins being able to communicate telepathically but this was somehow different. Even more scary than the telepathy thing. Carya and Harry looked at each other, blushed slightly and gave their friends an apologetic look.

"Eh, I think we have to tell you two something ... It's ...eh ... you have to promise not to freak out, okay?" Harry asked and even Carya looked very uncomfortable which was rare.

After the two girls had promised the twins fetched their snakes and sat them on their laps. "Well, you see, we don't have them just for fun. It's ... oh damnit ... we can talk to them ..." Carya said and Ginny and Hermione looked horrified. "I know, I know, Parseltongue is considered a dark trait but I don't think so. It's real fun. 

And they are the most loyal pets besides owls you can find. We aren't dark, well not entirely so. Not like Voldemort, you know?" she explained and gave them a shy smile. The other girls still flinched whenever the twins used his real name instead of You-Know-Who. 

"Can you promise us not to tell anyone? I mean, you are our best friends and if we get this reaction from you two then I don't want to imagine what other people might do. Probably sending us straight to Azkaban because they think we're the next Dark Lords or something like that ..." Harry said with a heavy voice and sad face. 

They hadn't wanted their friends to find out like this. Hell, they hadn't wanted anyone to find out at all. They were most likely the first parselmouth since Salazar Slytherin himself and Voldemort. Ginny and Hermione were in deep thought. They both had noticed the crestfallen expressions on their friends faces at their horrified gasps.

This wasn't how it should be. They should accept this. They were friends for Merlin's sake, best friends even. It was Ginny who spoke first.

"Eh, I mean ... it's not that I don't trust you anymore ... it's just, hell, why didn't you tell us when we found out about your pets last christmas? This is ... we should have noticed ... does anyone else know? I don't think you're dark, not completely anyway. I'm only surprised, really. I still want to be your friend and I certainly won't tell anyone. I promise," Ginny told them.

"I promise too. We've been best friends from the beginning. I'm not going to throw this away just because you can talk to snakes. I mean, hell, now we have a reason for you being in Slytherin, don't we? " Hermione said teasingly. "I won't tell anyone either, promise!"

The twins were relieved. And Carya reacted completely different from her normal behaviour. She started crying and flung herself at the other girls, hugging them fiercely and telling them how glad she was to have them as friends. They told Ginny and Hermione that their cousin Dudley was the only one who had known before Hogwarts.

The twins introduced their snakes to their friends. "Eh, this is Niamh, she's a female and is Harry's. And that here is Salazar and he's mine," Carya explained.

Ginny and Hermione were startled out of their thoughts when they heard a soft hissing sound. It took a moment to realise that it wasn't only the snakes but the twins who were producing these strange tones. The two girls knew they could trust their friends but they were still a bit afraid of the whole thing.

"Don't worry, Ginny, Hermione. We only introduced you two. Want to know what they think about you? Harry said and when both girls nodded he told them. "Well, Niamh thinks you're nice but a bit too scared for such big animals. She doesn't really accept the fact that humans aren't considered animals in our opinion," the boy explained smirking and laughing softly.

"Salazar thinks that you're quite okay and that if he were human he'd mate with one of you this instant. Don't look so shocked. The little bugger always says things like that. I don't know why he is this way either," Carya added grinning.

"It sounds really strange when you speak parsel. I don't know what I'd think if you hadn't told us what you said. But afterwards it seems to be a very melodic language when used in a normal conversation," Hermione remarked.

"Yeah, I don't want to find out how it sounds when you're angry and start yelling at each other," the Weasley girl told them shivering a bit.

After Ginny's statement there was a heavy but not uncomfortable silence. Nothing but the sounds of the garden could be heard while everyone of the four was lost in his or her own thoughts. But soon the silence became unbearable and they looked at each other. Neither of them knew why but they burst out laughing and had a hard time to stop it.

After they'd calmed down they lay down in the grass and continued with what they'd been busy before discovering the twins gift. Hermione and Ginny still were a bit hurt because their friends hadn't trusted them completely but they were sure to get over it quickly. The Potter kids had had a very good reason for not telling anyone.

While Carya again was reading in her mothers diary the photo of the marauders animagi forms fell out. Ginny picked it up and studied it. After about five minutes of intense staring at the photo she suddenly frowned, squinted and then yelled: "Holy Slytherin, I can't believe it. That's impossible. Wait until I get my hands on that rat ..."

"What's wrong Ginny? Why are you rambling about a rat?" asked Harry.

"See here. This is the marauders photo. It fell out of that diary five minutes ago and I picked it up. Somehow the rat seemed familiar, you know? Like I'd seen it before. Just like you feel with Snuffles Carya. ..." Ginny explained.

"Wait, did you just say the rat, Pettigrew's animagus, looked familiar to you? Can I have the photo?" Carya said and Ginny handed her the picture. After only a few seconds Carya paled. "How could I not see that, holy Slytherin. That's him!" she almost screamed and then added in a whisper: "Here, look at the dog closely. Don't you notice something? Look at his eyes!" 

Suddenly three surprised gasps could be heard. They'd recognised the blue-eyed black dog. It was Sirius Black or better Snuffles who was currently sleeping in the Potter twins bedroom.

Then Ginny again started speaking: "Carya, Harry, Hermione we have to help him! And perhaps we can!" That got her curious and questioning looks. "Well, you see," Ginny continued in an almost whisper, "This rat here, look at its markings. That's Scabbers, my (she spat the next word) brothers pet-rat. He has been with our family for over ten years now. Unusual for a normal street rat, eh? It's Pettigrew, he is Scabbers! Black didn't kill him! I don't know about the muggles but I hardly believe Black did it, not if Pettigrew is alive. What do we do now?" she said.

"We don't tell him. Perhaps we can get him to reveal himself to us, what do you think? I mean, he was fine two days after we found him. He could've changed back anytime at night and killed us if he'd wanted to, right? Well then lets try and behave as always towards him. I think I like him even more now that I know that Pettigrew lives," Carya told them and asked "Eh, you're absolutely sure it's him Ginny?" 

After Ginny nodded quite furiously they went inside to continue training. Carya and Ginny cuddled with Snuffles who really enjoyed the treatment while Harry helped Hermione concentrate. Two days later the Dursley's got an urgent phone call. Vernon's sister Marge had fallen down the stairs and broke her leg. The Dursley's wanted to help her but they didn't want to leave the twins alone either. So Harry, Ginny, Carya and Hermione went to _'Diagon Alley'_ a week earlier as planned. Snuffles went with them.

"Carya, Harry, something unexpected has happened. Marge fell down the stairs and broke her leg. She really needs our help right now. I know that there are still three weeks before school starts but could you perhaps stay at that pub you told us about? " Vernon asked while Petunia had already started packing.

"Well, why not. It'll sure be fun. But we have to take Snuffles with us. Perhaps we can find someone to take him in there. Or we try and keep him. Would you mind Ginny, Hermione or is this okay with you?" asked Harry.

"That's okay. That way we can spend more time in _'Diagon Alley'_. Don't you think so Hermione?" Ginny said and the other girl nodded..

"Well, you see uncle. I think it's settled then. Let's go upstairs packing," Carya said with a wide grin on her face.

At five that afternoon the Dursley's brought the four children to the train station. Vernon gave them enough money for the train, a taxi in London and possibly enough to stay at the '_Leaky Cauldron_' for month but he wouldn't accept a 'no' for an answer. Aunt Petunia said goodbye to the twins and hugged them fiercely. She too hugged Ginny and Hermione and especially the Weasley girl felt a bit embarrassed. It had been a while since any adult had given her a heartfelt hug.

The ride from Little Whinging, Surrey to London was uneventful. The kids were talking and feeding Snuffles with sweets. The snakes, ravens and owls were sleeping. Carya and Ginny were currently discussing some hexes from Carya's new books while Harry and Hermione played a game of wizards chess. Harry lost, as usual. He had never been able to beat Hermione. Only Carya played worse than him but that didn't mean she didn't have a mind for strategy.

When they arrived at King's Cross the station was strangely empty. But it was still difficult to get a taxi. Especially one that would carry four children, four big trunks, a few strange animals and a big black dog. Most drivers flat out refused to let them in. When they finally found one it was two hours later.

"Charing Cross road, please!" Carya told the driver and he drove them as quick as possible. Harry paid for the taxi and then helped the girls to carry their luggage inside.

"Hello, sir, do you have two rooms available? One for us girls and one for my brother?" Carya asked Tom, the innkeeper of the '_Leaky Cauldron_'.

"Wait a second, ... yes I think I have a room for you. And please call me Tom, everyone does." Follow me, please. Someone will bring your luggage to the rooms soon," he said and led them upstairs. They got the rooms twelve and thirteen. Number twelve was a small one, for Harry, and thirteen had a double bed and a single one, that was the girls room. 

Snuffles would stay with the girls. The ravens, snakes and owls would stay with Harry. The girls room was far bigger than Harry's and therefore the boy only kept the smaller animals.

"Hey, girls, why don't we meet downstairs for dinner in ten minutes? I'm so hungry I could eat a hippogriff all alone!" Harry said jokingly and the girls agreed.

"Good idea Harry, but when aren't you hungry, eh?" teased Carya and they separated to get ready for dinner.

Ten minutes later they sat in a quiet corner downstairs and ate something. Carya ordered some for Snuffles as well. She watched him eating his helping in silence_. /Yep, definitely not a dog. No dog would eat like this./ _She thought and that earned her a snicker from her brother. Carya suddenly remembered how they'd named him. 

Flashback 

It had been three days after they found them. He was still quite dirty and the girls attempted to bathe him. In the end there was more water on them and the floor than on the dog. But it had been fun and he looked so cute when he tried to escape the procedure.

After they had dried his fur he lay down on the rug in the twins bedroom and looked up at them. It had been so incredibly cute that the girls had immediately settled on the name Snuffles. It had seemed as if the dog had snorted at this but the girls didn't really notice that. 

End Flashback 

Just that evening an undercover agent of the ministry was sent to check on the Potter kids, just in case. He only found an empty house. No notes left and no indication as to where the family could've disappeared. The agent was frantic. Even Albus Dumbledore didn't know anything of their whereabouts. Had anyone asked Tom, the old innkeeper of the '_Leaky Cauldron_', he could've told them that the Potters and two friends of them were happily sleeping in two of the inns rooms. But no one asked ...

Please Read AND Review.

Thx ,

Carya

Review responses in Author's Note in moving Chapter!


	4. Chapter 04 The Minister and Exposures

Disclaimer: Not mine, I only own some of the plot of this fanfic and Carya, some parts might be copied from the book (hopefully not very much. I tried to keep it to a minimum), you might notice that some people got into different houses than in the books by JKR; this has only minor reasons, but I need them to be where they are now 

Author's Notes: Finally. The next chapter is ready. I hope it hasn't gone too bad but I have a bit of writers block when trying to type out what I already summarised for my chapter contents.

Anyway, I really hope you enjoy this and that there aren't too many mistakes in grammar. English is not my native language so please bear with me if something sounds funny or completely wrong. I try my best to get this right but I dare say you'd probably have the same problems if you tried to write in German. 

****

Chapter 04 - The Minister and Exposures or Carya really has a temper

(A/N: I hate Fudge so don't be surprised by this chapter!)

The next morning the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, and the headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore arrived at the '_Leaky Cauldron_'. When they asked Tom to keep an eye open for the twins, he told them that they'd already arrived and were currently staying at the inn. Two aurors asked for the room numbers and climbed up the stairs.

"Good morning, Tom," the minister said.

"Good mornin', minister. What can I do for you?" Tom asked.

"This is a mess. Tom, could you please inform us if the Potter twins turn up here? That would be very helpful. We still haven't found them. They've just disappeared," the distressed Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge said with a sigh. 

He was really nervous because they still hadn't caught Black and if something had happened to the twins ... well he wouldn't even dare to think about that.

"Well, then I've good news for ye, minister. They arrived here yesterday afternoon with two friends and stayed the night. I dare say they'll stay 'til school starts again ..." Tom explained when Fudge interrupted him.

"Where are they, which rooms, Tom?" he inquired.

"Eh, rooms twelve and thirteen but I don't know if they are awake ..." the old innkeeper said as Fudge sent his two junior aurors upstairs.

"I don't believe that this was a good idea Cornelius. They might scare the children," Dumbledore remarked concerned. 

And he would be right. It was indeed a bad idea. But not the way he'd originally imagined ... 

Carya, Hermione and Ginny were just changing from their night-clothes when the door burst open and two male junior aurors stood in the doorway. Ginny and Hermione were so much surprised and embarrassed by being caught half-naked that they started screaming but Carya was fuming. 

She hadn't had a good nights sleep because of her old nightmares and she already had been in a bad mood. But this was just the final straw for her temper to snap. The young witch, only clad in shorts and a very tight top, walked glaring towards the startled and unmoving aurors and slapped both of them hard across the face, then threw them out and locked the door with a charm, not caring about being forbidden to do magic over summer. 

Had they been fully trained they most likely would've reacted to Carya's assault but they were still in training and beginner's. So just looked dumbfounded at the door that had been slammed into their faces. Once they'd dressed the girls went downstairs. 

Unluckily Carya was still fuming and even Ginny and Hermione were pretty angry now once they'd gotten over the initial shock. Carya started snapping at Tom. "Did you allow THEM to do that? What kind of behaviour is that. Bursting into a GIRLS room without knocking before, watching them change clothes like a bloody VOYEUR and then don't even care to APOLOGIZE!?! I won't tolerate that ..." she yelled.

At this point of time Dumbledore and Fudge stepped into the conversation. Dumbledore started to explain in a soft and calm voice but was immediately interrupted by Fudge who himself began yelling too. He reprimanded her for insulting HIS aurors and called her behaviour childish. Of course that didn't exactly calm the irate young Slytherin. 

When he got to the point of their sudden disappearance she had enough. Her face had a strange pale colour now that didn't suit someone that agitated. And she was deathly quiet now. Even Fudge noticed that something was really wrong here. 

Carya's next comment was far too calm although it was dripping with sarcasm. "Well, I see that the Ministry of Magic is as competent as ever," she said sneering. "But since when do I, my brother and my friends need YOUR express permission to even leave our house or to travel to _'Diagon Alley'_, eh? You people have never bothered whether we were at home, or in a holiday camp or even in Britain before. Why now?" she asked smirking. 

"Might that be because you seem unable to capture Sirius Black?" she asked sarcastic and instantly knew she'd struck a chord because Fudge's face went redder as any Weasleys hair. He was about to explode again and Carya's obviously enjoyed this very much. 

In the meantime Harry had come down too and was watching the exchange. He of course had not dared to interrupt his sister. He knew how she could get when she was furious and he had seen the two aurors who were still carrying Carya's handprint on their faces.

At this point Dumbledore stepped in and asked them calm and polite not to leave _'Diagon Alley'_ for the Muggle World and not to be out after sundown. "Carya, would you please listen to me for a moment?" he asked and Carya merely raised an eyebrow but kept her gaze locked at Fudge.

Dumbledore took this as a hint to continue. "I ask you four to stay in _'Diagon Alley'_ for the rest of the holiday. Don't wander around Muggle London. It's for your own good. And be back at the '_Leaky Cauldron_ before sundown. Can you give me your promise on this? All of you?" he said and looked at the four children who now looked at him curiously. 

Carya again raised an eyebrow at Dumbledore's request but they promised to obey his wishes (he didn't know that they'd already been in Muggle London earlier in the holidays and therefore had not really any desire left to do so grin). 

"Okay, headmaster. We won't go to Muggle London even if we don't know why not but you surely have a reason to ask, haven't you?" Carya said and the others nodded in approval. Dumbledore felt slightly uneasy. He couldn't really explain the situation to them but fortunately neither of the children asked further.

What he didn't know was that the kids already had found out about the recent events and knew exactly why they were supposed to stay around wizards and in bright daylight. And Carya certainly wasn't going to let THEM know that. They'd just get cryptic answers from the headmaster anyway.

After this promise Dumbledore left the pub visibly relieved that the twins were safe followed by two disgruntled looking aurors and an angry Minister of Magic who was staring daggers at Carya - she just stood there, smirking evilly at him. She didn't like him, not in the least. 

Ginny and Hermione had been shocked at Carya's outburst but they were satisfied when they'd seen the handprints on the aurors faces. After they were gone Carya turned towards Tom and apologised.

"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have made you responsible for that incident. It wasn't your fault. Please accept my apology..." she said.

Tom had always been a good natured person, so he just nodded and smiled at the young girl. She looked relieved and asked him if they could've something for breakfast. As if he'd heard that Snuffles came trodding down the stairs and lay down at Carya's feet. He'd seen what she did to the aurors and heard her fight with Fudge.

Sirius POV 

'Wow, she really has Lily's temper. It's good to see that they're alright. They are great kids and the Dursley's treat them right too. Well I should be happy for them. I don't know what they'll do if they find out who I am. I can't let them find out. They'd never believe me, I'm pretty sure about that. 

The press has written so many horror stories about me that they surely would never believe me, or would they? sigh It really seems as if they are very happy and Harry seems to be quite taken with that girl - Hermione Granger was her name, I think. 

Well I think I can disappear once they go back to Hogwarts. I need to find that rat. It must belong to that girls brother - her name was Ginny Weasley I think. When they found me in Surrey I thought I'd die. Who would've thought that Lily and James children would be any good in potions? Not that I complain. It certainly saved my life. smile

I'd always imagined them to be mini-versions of their parents but they aren't they have traits from both of them. I wonder which house they're in. I haven't seen any house badges or school robes around them, yet. Well, we'll see. I bet they're in Gryffindor, just like James.

End Sirius POV 

/_He looks like he's thinking about something. He really shouldn't do that. It's unnatural for dogs. Lucky for him that only WE know who he is AND that he's innocent. I just wish we could tell him_ .../ thought Carya.

/_Well, why don't we do it? We could lock ourselves in a room after shopping today and then talk about him and Pettigrew and everything we've found out. Then we could directly address him, what do you think about that, my dear sister?/_ Harry answered her question.

/_That's a great idea, dear brother mine. Love you. Come on, lets get the other two away from breakfast and then we'll shop!/_ his sister shot back with an evil looking grin spreading across her face.

They went upstairs and got their shopping lists. Snuffles was left at the '_Leaky Cauldron_' much to his chagrin. But then again, someone might recognise him and there was too much at risk. So he stayed in their room and took a nap.

They spent the whole morning for shopping. Starting at Gringotts they got their money to pay for their school supplies. After Gringotts they went to Madam Malkins because Carya and Harry needed new robes. 

They'd outgrown some of their old ones yet again and two had been soiled when they tended Snuffles wounds. The next stop was the apothecary where they got their new potions ingredients and restocked their old ones. 

Carya of course bought more than necessary because she wanted to experiment a bit this year. Then they walked to 'Flourish and Blotts' to buy their required course books. This year they'd fewer books on the list than last year. 

The list read:

**__**

COURSE BOOKS

__

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

'_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 2)_ '_ by Miranda Goshawk_

'_Magical Drafts and Potions - Second Edition_'_ by Arsenius Jigger_

'_The Dark Forces: How to Protect yourself' by Quentin Trimble_

'_A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration (Additional Book)_'_ by Emeric Switch_

'The Dark Forces: Dark Creatures' by Quentin Trimble

The four friends were already back at the inn at lunchtime. Tom brought their lunch up to their rooms wondering why they'd ordered five helpings but his confusion cleared when he saw Snuffles.

(A/N: The 'No-Magic-Rule' for summer applies only to your immediate living area and they can't really detect you in wizarding areas like _'Diagon Alley'_ so it's safe to use magic there.)

Carya locked the door with a spell while they were eating in silence. Sirius noticed this but didn't think any of it. Soon after finishing their meal the kids started talking about anything and everything. Carya and Harry deliberately brought up the issue of Black, Pettigrew and Azkaban. 

"So, what do you think about the ministry and their attempts to capture Sirius Black," Harry asked no one in particular.

"Well I think that the ministry is absolutely unable to ever catch him. And I don't really believe that he's insane. No lunatic could've escaped from that prison. I've heard Dad talk about it earlier this summer," Ginny answered.

"Probably, and that too would explain why they can't catch him. He's far too clever. Have you heard? They believe he's after us. That's why Fudge made an idiot of himself this morning. It's actually funny, don't you think? I mean. He's free now for over six weeks, no? And we were quite easy targets till now. Especially that day we spent in London," Carya added.

"You're right. I've heard that the whole street was blasted apart when they caught him the first time but I don't know which curse he might have used. I haven't found something like that in any book," Hermione remarked.

"I bet we would know if he had a trial but they just carted him off to Azkaban. That's curious, you know? Normally the supposed Death Eaters would've been questioned under Veritaserum to spill information on their comrades but not with Black. I wonder why..." Carya explained.

Sirius' POV 

The dog stiffened. 'This isn't good. They aren't supposed to stick their twelve year old noses into things like that. But then again, they are the children of James Potter, one of the biggest troublemakers ever.' Sirius thought. The children talked about that newspaper article he had seen at Privet Drive. 

What caught his interest was the fact that the children knew he hadn't had a trial back then. Very few people knew that. 'I wonder what this is about. How do they even know?' he wondered. It was Ginny's answer that threw him completely off balance.

End Sirius' POV 

"Well, I think that someone should just capture that supposed-to-be-dead-but-still-alive-rat and hand him over to Black, wherever he is right now. Perhaps we really should try. Ron would never know." she said. 

Sirius was stunned. 'A rat? Supposed to be dead? One that is alive? No, this can't be true. They cannot possibly know everything...' he mused.

Apparently his shock and confusion must have shown because by now all four teenagers were staring intensely at him. He suddenly was scared. What was going on here? Sirius or Snuffles tried to escape the room but of course, the door was locked. And he had no wand; not that a dog could use one anyway. Carya drew her wand and muttered something under her breath. 

"You can change back to your true self, dear godfather. We know who you are. And we think that we know most of the truth. Not that rubbish which is written in the papers," Carya said calmly and looked directly at him.

Sirius felt trapped and began to panic. How did they know who he was? Would they turn him in? He had no wand ... he was a grown man but they were four and they all had wands. He didn't realise that he wasn't in any danger of being caught. Harry tried to soothe him.

"Sirius, we know that you didn't kill Pettigrew because that rat is alive and currently living with Ginny's brother. And you certainly did not betray our parents. Please listen to us," he pleaded.

It was Harry's second last sentence that broke through Sirius panic. The twins parents. The twins believed that he didn't betray them. He calmed down a bit. Although he was still wary about the whole situation he changed back into his human form. Ginny and Hermione just looked and didn't dare to say a thing. Harry smiled shyly and Carya smiled too. She looked at him and raised one eyebrow which got her a confused look from Sirius.

"I think that you really need a good hot bath and a proper good nights sleep before we talk but I doubt you would want to wait that long, eh?" she asked smirking slightly. 

The black haired wizard just looked and didn't say anything. He was so confused. Everyone thought he was a murderer. And here stood the only reasons why he had survived Azkaban in the first place and they believed him. Harry led him to the bathroom and told him that he'd be back with some clothes in a few minutes.

When Harry got back to the main room Carya was already transfiguring some clothes from Harry so that they'd fit Sirius. He helped her because he was better at transfiguration than his sister. Ginny and Hermione brought the plates back down to Tom and got some tea and cookies for them all.

Please Read AND Review.

Thx ,

Carya

Review responses in Author's Note in moving Chapter!


	5. Chapter 05 A Wand and Memories

Disclaimer: Not mine, I only own some of the plot of this fanfic and Carya, some parts might be copied from the book (hopefully not very much. I tried to keep it to a minimum), you might notice that some people got into different houses than in the books by JKR; this has only minor reasons, but I need them to be where they are now 

Author's Notes: I found out today that my version of Microsoft Word on my laptop is allowing me to save in HTML-format. So here's the corrected version with bold and italic script!! Another thing, a reviewer just asked why this is POA instead of COS. I put that in my disclaimer but perhaps I should repeat it here. I switched positions of book 2 and 3 because I needed to do that for my plot.

Well, here is the next chapter. I hope you like it. The characters may seem quite AU but it's my twist on the world of Harry Potter, isn't it? I prefer them this way. Don't worry about getting bored. I do think I can manage to make this interesting enough without sticking to the original like the last book. 

I'm getting a bit better at writing and hope you see it the same way. Read, enjoy and please review. I know that most people simply forget to do that but I have to say it helps to get a bit of feedback if it's constructive criticism or praise.

****

Chapter 05 - A Wand and Memories or Disguises and Marauder Tales

Once their godfather came out of the bathroom they just looked at him in awe. He looked completely different now. Still very pale and far too thin but after a bath, dressed in almost fitting, clean clothes and with his hair washed and brushed he looked good. 

Especially the girls were beaming now and Harry just groaned when he saw what they were doing. This got him a punch on the arm from Carya and for the first time since Sirius was back to his human form he smiled. It was a shy but honest smile. 

They talked for about three hours and at the end of it Sirius knew that these kids were his friends. They wouldn't turn him in. His godson and goddaughter believed him and wanted to help. His most immediate problem was that he had no wand. 

And you couldn't just waltz into _'Diagon Alley'_ and buy a new one. Even in _'Knockturn Alley'_ it would be difficult to get one because it was dangerous to go in there without one too. They decided to worry about that in the morning and went to bed. 

Sirius transformed back to his dog form and now stayed with Harry because he didn't want to _'spy_ _on the girls'_ as he had phrased it. Ginny and the other two thought that he didn't want to experience the same as the two aurors earlier that day.

The next morning they had a wonderful breakfast but they still had no idea how to get a wand for Sirius. After breakfast they returned to the girls room and discussed their not so really existent plans.

Carya finally had a brilliant idea. Sirius was of course less than pleased with this because it involved Carya, disguising charms and _'Knockturn Alley'_ but she wouldn't change her mind. She now admitted that she had been there one time already. 

At the beginning of the holiday when he had just escaped. She and Harry had been wearing their Slytherin robes and no one had bothered them.

"Well, I could always go to _'Knockturn Alley'_ and find one for you. It's not that of a big deal, really," Carya began and earned a shocked look from Sirius, Ginny and Hermione. 

"Eh, I've been there before, together with Harry earlier this summer. We wore our school robes and since we're Slytherin's no one has bothered us. Oh, come on! It's not a problem, Sirius. Everything will be alright. 

I've wanted to try out the disguising charms for a long time now and this is my chance. I won't get hurt, promise!" she continued trying to convince her godfather. But he had already stopped listening when he heard about the twins being in Slytherin.

"You ... you're in Slytherin? But ... how ...?" he asked confused.

"Well, just like everyone else too, you sit on the stool, pull that hat on your head and it yells out your house. Honestly Sirius, you look as if the worlds going down. Ginny's a Slytherin too," Harry said sarcastic.

Now Sirius was really confused. How could Harry and Carya possibly be Slytherin with parents like Lily and James? When he heard that Ginny was a Weasley and was in Slytherin too, he didn't know what to think anymore. 

"But Lily ... and **_James_** ... how can you NOT be in Gryffindor?" he asked confused.

"Don't know Sirius. Ask the Sorting hat. It thought we would do best in Slytherin. And it's not that bad. Why do people always have that reaction, eh? Is it because old Moldie-Voldie was a Slytherin?" asked Carya with a smirk.

"What?!?" he asked stunned for a moment but then continued, "You ... you ... that ... I can't believe someone would actually make a nickname for that ... that thing. But I have to admit it certainly sounds really funny. 

Perhaps people might be less frightened of his name when you use that more often," Sirius said, confused and shocked at first but then gradually dissolving into soft laughter.

He still didn't really understand why they were in Slytherin but he wanted to accept it because they had already shown him that they indeed were their parents children. Shortly after that Carya disguised herself with the help of a newspaper clip about veelas. 

"Wow, it's really working. You look ... different. Nice, ... but definitely different ..." commented Harry.

"Why, thank you, my dear brother!" Carya told him smirking. She had, of course, changed her voice a bit, too and the others were now openly gaping at her. The girls and Harry were surprised that this had worked at all and Sirius was stunned that a twelve year old could do this.

She took two other photos with her so that she could change if need be. One showed an old almost ugly looking hag. And the other showed an old woman who seemed to be really crazy. And that wasn't because of her clothes. She looked like a raving lunatic. 

The girl decided that this would be her very last option. Carya had learned these spells from a book Harry had bought in _'Diagon Alley'_ a few weeks ago, the one about difficult transfigurations. It had taken her quite some time to learn them but now she was really proud of herself. 

Not too many people were that good at her age. After a bit of search, bribery and threatening, which was quite good if one thought about the fact that she was only twelve, she found a wand that was satisfactory. 

It was a ten inch mahogany wand with a core of unicorn hair and it was still in a good condition.

"I want this one here!" the veela told the man behind the counter.

"I see, that would be twenty galleons ..." he began.

"Twenty?!? You're sure you don't belong in St. Mungo's Insanity Ward? I'll give you ten for this, nothing more." Carya answered slightly irritated.

"Are you mad woman? This wand is in pristine condition. It's three times worth what you want to pay." He answered. The veela suddenly started smirking.

"Well, I believe you don't want the ministry to know about your little business here, would you? You should be happy that I'm actually helping you to get rid of that ... wand. Tell you what, I'll give you a few galleons extra if you tell me where the closest Enchantment Breaker has his shop," the 'veela' Carya told the shopkeeper in a threatening tone.

"Well, there's one about three blocks down to Diagon. But he's expensive. I want five galleons for this information!" he told her with a quivering voice.

"You'll get them but you better not've lied to me," she left the actual threat unspoken and the old man imagined his own punishment as she paid him the price they'd finally agreed on - fifteen galleons. Ten for the wand and five for his little piece of information.

Carya knew that many of those wands sold in Knockturn Alley were stolen ones or that they had belonged to criminals earlier. Because of that she hid in a dark and narrow passage, change to another disguise - the old hag - and went to a shop that would remove any tracing or monitoring charms on objects, even on wands. 

This cost as much as the wand itself but it turned out to be a good decision because there had been quite a few charms and spells on the wand. In the end she had paid twenty-five galleons for the wand but she was sure that it was worth the efforts. After that the 'hag'-like looking girl walked back into _'Diagon Alley'_ and straight to the '_Leaky Cauldron_'.

After making sure no one was watching her she changed to her true self in the pubs toilet and finally went upstairs. The twins and their friends were as surprised and amazed as Sirius was when he saw the wand. It was his, his wand that the aurors had taken away from him eleven years ago. 

"Here Sirius, I've found a wand and it seems to be a good one too. No scratches or something like that, perfect condition," the girl said and handed her godfather the new wand. He gasped and looked at both, the wand and his goddaughter in sheer disbelief.

"How? ... where ... where did you find it? ... This is a dream, isn't it? It just cannot be true. ... No, no one has so much luck," Sirius stuttered and the children just looked at him confused be his behaviour.

"What do you mean with 'Where did you get it?' In _'Knockturn Alley'_ of course. That's where she went. And what's with one never being able to be so lucky? Hey Sirius, did you even hear what I asked?" Harry questioned.

"Yeah, heard you. This ... wand ... this ... it's MY wand. The one I bought when I was eleven. It's absolutely unbelievable," Sirius said voice thick with emotion. In an afterthought he added "I thought they'd snapped it when I was imprisoned ... ."

Sirius suddenly pulled his goddaughter into a hug. Carya was happy. She had been right about that wand being a good choice. When they again asked her how she had found it she just shrugged and mumbled something that sounded like.

"Must've been instinct, I guess. It felt so powerful and horribly familiar. I somehow knew it would be a good choice, so I bought it. After that I had all tracing charms and such being removed at another shop. It's perfectly safe for you to use it, Sirius. I'm happy for you" she mumbled and then smiled at him.

The other three were smiling too. The day had been perfect. Everything was alright and no one had found them out. Life was definitely wonderful right now. Only one thing was left - to help their godfather to prove his innocence. This would be the biggest problem from now on.

It wouldn't be that difficult to hide their knowing each other from the world. Sirius had already a solution for that. When they were little he and James had used some kind of code to write each other letters no one but them could read. He just altered it a bit and taught the four children.

This way they could safely write notes to Sirius and receive some from him without being found out. They agreed to use random owls and birds for safety reasons. The twins ravens could be used more often because they were quite common in Great Britain and wouldn't draw too much attention.

After a good dinner and some talk about pranks they happily retired for the night. The girls stayed in the current room while Harry and 'Snuffles' went over to their room. But not everyone had such a good day. Someone else was really, really unhappy just now.

The caster of the removed monitoring and tracing charms wasn't exactly pleased as one can think. It was the Ministry of Magic itself, or better the _'Department of Magical Law Enforcement'_ (MLE for short). They went to _'Knockturn Alley'_ to investigate as soon as they noticed the removal. 

The one that had sold the wand told them about the customer because he wasn't keen on loosing his shop **_and_** probably ending up in Azkaban. He hadn't known that the damned wand was that important or else he would've never tried to sell it. 

"It was a tall, beautiful woman with long, silvery hair and deep steel gray eyes. She was outright scary, possibly a veela. I don't know who she was, really. I didn't even know how important the wand was, sir. 

I found it someday lying in the streets, didn't think any further. Not really my fault, sir. She asked for a shop like Malcom's though." The shopkeeper ranted and desperately hoped he wouldn't be punished. 

They did not disappoint him. The aurors were far too busy as to even think about a punishment right now. The worst that could really happen to him was a small fee for selling a restricted item to an unknown customer.

Malcom wasn't exactly thrilled when ministry aurors waltzed right into his shop. They threatened him to immediately close his little store if he didn't tell what had happened to a certain wand that afternoon. They showed Malcom a photo of it and he remembered.

"Ah, yes, I remember. It was a strange old hag. Her eyes were the deepest black you can imagine. Almost unnatural if you ask me. She had dirty reddish hair and many warts and scars on her face. 

But I don't know who she was, she wouldn't tell me. Was walking towards _'Diagon Alley'_ after she left my shop. Please, sir, that's all I know," Malcom said pleading.

The aurors quickly noticed that they wouldn't find out. The one who bought the wand had obviously used disguising charms or it had been two different persons. Though the second option was very unlikely to be true. 

No one had seen the two women together and although the hag had left _'Diagon Alley'_ through the '_Leaky Cauldron_', she hadn't entered it that way. And neither had the veela. In fact not one in the pub had even seen the latter.

They really had a hard day. Not only was the wand of Sirius Black gone, they couldn't even find the one who bought it. Their superiors wouldn't be happy about this. Quite the opposite, they'd be seriously pissed off about that. They'd so hoped to catch Black when he tried to get a wand, preferably his own but they'd failed miserably.

The kids stayed at the '_Leaky Cauldron_' for the rest of the holidays. Snuffles stayed with them. They had loads of fun. The door was always locked now and there were silencing and anti-eavesdropping spells everywhere. Carya told Sirius about their animagus plans and how their progress was. He was proud of them and gave the kids some very useful tips how to speed up their transformation. 

He told the twins about their parents. What they had been like and who had been their friends. He also told them about Remus Lupin - Remus was a werewolf. That had been his parents and Sirius reason to become animagi. 

"I doubt we would've tried to become animagi if it hadn't been for Remus, you know? Remus was a werewolf. He was our friend and once we found out he was scared that we would abandon him. We didn't though, we stayed his friends but thought that wasn't enough. 

We wanted to do something to make him feel better. It was James who had the idea. As you probably know, James was always on top of class in transfiguration. He knew that the werewolf was only dangerous for humans but not for animals. So we decided to do one of the most forbidden things - we became animagi," Sirius told them.

"While in our animal form we could keep him company during the full moon. We even went so far to travel outside of the Shrieking Shack and explore the Hogwarts grounds. I doubt anyone ever found out so much about Hogwarts as we did during those years, " he continued.

"But wasn't that really dangerous? I mean, to go outside with a werewolf?" asked Hermione, always worried about dangers and one for the rules but not that strict anymore.

"You see Hermione, we were hardly sixteen. We thought we could restrain him if necessary with me being the large dog I am and James being a stag. We were young and didn't really think about consequences," the animagus answered. 

"After a few month we came up with the idea of creating a map of Hogwarts - the _'Marauders Map'_. Do you know about that?" he asked when the kids immediately started grinning.

"I don't really know. The Weasley twins at Hogwarts always seem to know shortcuts and secret passages. And they never get caught when they're snaking around. Ginny told us they had some kind of parchment that they always carried around since their first year," Harry said.

"Why don't you tell us how you created the _'Marauders Map'_. I'd really like to know that!" Carya interrupted and Harry gave her a grateful smile as Sirius started to explain everything.

"We used ordinary parchment but added quite a few spells to it. Each of us has given the map a bit of our personality but the most difficult part was to show the people. As you surely don't know, they appear as a small dot with the name attached to it.

The best thing is that even if you use animagus transformation, disguising charms or polyjuice potion the map always shows your true identity," he explained further.

"How did you accomplish that?" asked Carya. She already had a good guess but didn't say anything.

"Simple," her godfather said grinning, "We used Veritaserum when we created the map."

"Cool, that was really clever of you. But isn't Veritaserum quite difficult to make and even restricted by the ministry?," remarked Ginny.

"It is but that didn't stop us though. We, eh, stole a bit from our Potions Professors private stores. Not much, just enough for the map and the woman didn't even notice. We were quite lucky back then if I think about it," Sirius mused and told them everything about the map. 

There had once been four maps. One for Sirius, Remus, James and Lily each. He didn't mention Peter though and the children didn't dare to ask.

Harry suddenly remembered a blank parchment that had been lying in his Gringotts Vault and told them about it. They noticed that it was already very late and went to bed. But they'd continue this the next day as none of the kids had any homework left they'd quite some free time.

The next morning Harry went to retrieve the parchment from his vault. When he returned Sirius immediately checked it and it proved to be James Map. When Ginny saw it, she looked thoughtful. She told them that her twin brothers really had such a map too, but it was less detailed.

"You know, it's really true. My brothers have one of those. But it it's in a real bad shape and much less detailed. I think they stole it from Filch's office one day during their first year," she said.

Sirius explained that it must be Remus' map because his had been confiscated by Filch before they were even finished with making them. Harry's was the only complete one because a Slytherin had set Sirius map on fire for revenge. 

To their surprise said Slytherin turned out to be Severus Snape. Sirius made some rude comments under his breath which made the children laugh really hard and they dropped the topic for now.

Sirius also told them about the pranks they'd played as _'The Marauders'_. Especially those on the Slytherin's because he just wanted to tease the three young Slytherin's around him. But he also admitted that they sometimes had good comeback-pranks.

When he told them about turning Severus Snape's hair Gryffindor red for a week they laughed their heads off. Of course Sirius didn't understand at first but he too laughed when he heard that Severus was currently teaching Potions at Hogwarts. 

They didn't tell him that the same Snape was currently their Head of House because they just knew he would start to worry about them. Sirius seemed to hate Snape pretty much for reasons unknown to them and they didn't ask. Suddenly Carya spoke up.

"Hey, I know a good use for that prank. It involves certain Weasleys and the colour green. And I want to modify it. I know of a potion and a spell to make colours everlasting. You can't wash them out or hide them with any charm. 

It would've to **_grow_** out, unless I create a counter-charm," she told them with an evil grin.

At this everyone laughed, especially Ginny. She was really glad to have such a friend when her family abandoned her like that and didn't even bother to talk to her most of the time. A friend that stood beside her regardless what happened. 

Their last two weeks passed in a blur with them practising some charms (The twins had managed to get around the problem of being detected when you were underage.), talks about past or soon-to-be pranks or read in their new course books which brought them a remark from their godfather.

"You're sure that you're not supposed to be in Ravenclaw, are you?" he said smirking like a true Slytherin.

This time the twins didn't take the bait. Not really though. They asked him a question instead.

"Don't know Sirius but are you sure that you really were a Gryffindor? I mean with all those pranks and considering how devious you seem to be sometimes I'd bet you would have done better in Slytherin!" the Potter girl answered him with a devious glint in her eyes and a smirk that rivalled Snape's best ones.

Of course this was something he couldn't take without retaliation. As an answer he growled playfully pulled her onto the floor and started tickling the girl. He only stopped when she could hardly breathe from laughing so much and once he stopped all of the rooms occupants were laughing happily.

Please Read AND Review.

Thx ,

Carya

Review responses in Author's Note in moving Chapter! But not this time as I only replaced this chapter!


	6. Chapter 06 The Train and Dementors

Disclaimer: Not mine, I only own some of the plot of this fanfic and Carya, some parts might be copied from the book (hopefully not very much. I tried to keep it to a minimum), you might notice that some people got into different houses than in the books by JKR; this has only minor reasons, but I need them to be where they are now 

Author's Notes: A new chapter for you. Took me longer to write this since I had to make a sorting song on my own. It isn't that good but I'm still happy that I even managed to think of one .

Chapters and updates might be even slower now as I have constant problems with Microsoft Office and Fanfiction.Net. 

I think my computer is seriously trying to keep me from writing and accessing the internet. If I don't try to convert documents to HTML or log in on FF.Net everything works almost fine. Bear with me and don't loose hope because I **_will definitely _**finish this! A couple more reviews would also be greatly appreciated even if it's a bit of criticism. Just don't flame me too much because I'm writing just for the fun of it.

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Chapter 06 - The Train and Dementors or Lupin and Arrival at Hogwarts

Soon it was September 1st and the four students had to go back to Hogwarts. After mutual promises to write letters the departed. Snuffles left them outside the '_Leaky Cauldron_'. The children were collected by a ministry car. They still found this annoying to no end. They were perfectly safe but of course no one else knew about that or would believe them if they told someone.

"Sweet Merlin, why do we have to do this again? I can't believe the bloody ministry sent a bloody car to bring us to the station when we simply could've called a taxi," Hermione whispered exasperated. Her opinion of the ministry hadn't improved since that special morning almost three weeks ago.

Ginny felt the same way as her and even went so far as to voice her discomfort about the car. 

"I hate this. Why do they have to embarrass us like this. First they tell us off because we stay here but don't tell us why they are so upset and then we get treated like invalids, stupid ministry. Wanna bet it's because of the incident in the '_Leaky Cauldron_'? Damned Minister can't loose his face now, can he? So he just goes and makes us do this," a slightly angry Ginny told her friends.

The driver looked shocked that the daughter of Arthur Weasley would say something like that but didn't say anything. Harry just rolled his eyes about the two girls. Carya of course had her own twisted theory. It wasn't really serious but she still told them smirking.

"You should know that our dear beloved minister cannot make another mistake. I'm so, so sorry for him. I mean, look at him. The poor man hasn't managed to catch Black and the papers are writing about him being an incompetent fool. Please friends, have mercy with that poor bugger," she said, her voice practically dripping with sarcasm. 

This sent the other three into fits of laughter and even their chauffeur had a hard time to hide his smile.

He knew it was meant as an insult against the Minister of Magic himself but the driver couldn't help but agree. The worst was of course that the girl was right. The minister has made too many mistakes over the last few years.

Harry was laughing now and told his sister why. "Carya ... you should ... have heard .. yourself." He said between fits of laughter. "You've managed ... a perfect ... perfect copy of the tone Snape always uses ... when he's insulting the Gryffindor's," he finally got out.

His sister looked strangely at him and then grinned. _/Perhaps I should practise that, eh?/_ she thought and Harry just snickered. Even Ginny and Hermione had understood the grin this time. This year would be real fun if she managed to act like that. Carya had gotten pretty good at sarcasm and with this new skill they could annoy the Gryffindor's to no end. 

The kids were arriving on platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters earlier than planned. They'd still some time to spare. The twins and Ginny set off to find suitable compartment. It wasn't that difficult because they'd shrunken their trunks and put featherweight charms on them. The children finally had a compartment near the front of the train. Hermione stayed behind to ask a Ravenclaw prefect something and joined them a few minutes later. The problem with their compartment was that it was already occupied by someone. 

He was an adult and seemed to be very poor if you judged by the state his suitcase and clothes were in. He seemed to be slightly ill too and he was currently sleeping. The kids looked at each other and discussed this outside the compartment.

"What do you think? Should we stay or go and find another one?" asked Ginny.

"If we stay we can't talk about our project or Snuffles ..." Harry remarked.

"Yes, that's right but think about the bright side," Carya said cryptically and when she noticed her friends confusion she continued. "We should stay here because we surely won't be disturbed by annoying Gryffindor's as long as he is here. 

If he's a professor or just someone to go to Hogsmeade doesn't matter. The stupid prats wouldn't try anything with an adult around, would they?" the girl said smirking and they other finally got the point. 

The four friends settled down in the compartment and talked about the upcoming school year but they quickly stopped and did something else. Harry and Hermione played Wizard Chess ad the other two read one of their new course books, again! As usual Ginny had her Charms book out and Carya read a book about Intermediate Hexes and her new Potions book. She switched between them from time to time.

The train began moving as soon as it was eleven a.m. The ride was quite peaceful apart from Ron, Fred and George barging into their compartment and making fun of them at one point. A few threats from the twins and the presence of the man who seemed to be a new teacher drove them away. 

"Well, if that aren't the Potty's and the little traitor-snake. If it were me, I wouldn't want to just sit around, Potter. I'd want revenge," Ron sneered and his brothers started smirking. He hadn't noticed the other occupant yet and obviously thought he knew something that the two Potters didn't know.

"Get lost Weasel!" Hermione hissed and Carya already had her hand on her wand and so had Harry. They were prepared to hex Ron if necessary.

"Why would we leave, eh? Scared Granger?" asked George. Hermione just snorted and Harry said to Ron.

"I really don't know what you're going on about Weasley. If you're talking about Black then let me tell you that I now way more than you. And now piss off!" Harry answered calmly but forcefully.

While Ron was silenced Fred said something. "I bet you're going to hide in the castle all year, eh? That would be just like you, a Slytherin coward!"

Harry narrowed his eyes. He was getting angry, so was Ginny and Hermione feared that they'd start a fight. But for the second time this summer it was Carya who remained calm on the outside and tried to make the Weasley boys angry.

"You wish, Weasel. I'd go if I were you but then again you don't have that much brain, have you? No, don't bother answering. You might overexert your few working brain cells," she said in her Snape-like sarcasm and leaned back a bit to give free view over the compartment. The Weasley twins were fuming now and wanted to attack the Potter's when they heard a soft grunt and looked at the sleeping adult.

"Who is he? Fred asked slightly wary.

"Oh, you didn't notice? He's a new Professor," Harry answered casually and barely hid his satisfied smirk when he saw the faces of Fred, George and Ron. Their skin was turning varying sheds of white and their eyes were as wide as saucers by now.

The Weasley boys left the compartment without further comments and the four friends smiled but they didn't laugh. This would be a hard year and Ginny was really sad right now. Not only did her brothers treat her worse than the plague but Draco hadn't been visiting them even once on the train, yet. She, as well as her friends, believed that he had been in big trouble with his father because of their friendship.

Draco's father didn't care about the Potter's or the Weasley's being pure-blood families. He just believed that they weren't worthy of the title wizard and therefore his son wasn't supposed to associate with them. It didn't even matter that they were all Slytherin's. He flat out forbade his son any contact. 

Draco still was their friend despite of what his father said, but the twins, Ginny and Hermione didn't know if they could trust him. They decided not to tell him about Sirius and about their animagus training. Just to be on the safe side.

"Better safe than sorry. I know Ginny, he's not bad but we don't know how much his father actually controls him. It's not really Draco's fault, okay? He can't help the way he was raised and I'm sure that one day we can share everything with him," Carya said and Ginny felt a little bit comforted. 

She really liked Draco and if they had been a bit older she would've even dared to call it having a severe crush or being in love with him. She hoped he'd come around someday and again be friends with her. The train ride seemed longer this year. 

Carya looked over at the sleeping man and studied his face. 'He seems familiar, somehow but I can't quite place him.' she thought.

Suddenly she was startled out of her thoughts by her brother _/I wonder who he is. What about you, sister?/_ he asked.

Carya responded telepathically too. _/Hmm, don't know, but I swear I know him from somewhere. Wait a moment. There's a name tag on that suitcase./ _she said and looked at the tag closely. Once she' read the name she paled and Harry looked concerned.

__

/What's wrong? Do you know him?/ he wanted to know.

__

/Slytherin's bones, Harry, this is Remus Lupin. You remember? He's one of the Mum's and Dad's old friends, one of the Marauders!/ Carya answered and her brother could practically hear her excitement.

Harry grinned at her and whispered their discovery to Hermione while Carya told a curious Ginny what was going on. They were interrupted when the train slowed and stopped. The kids knew that they couldn't already be at Hogwarts it was too early for that despite the seemingly longer ride this year. All of a sudden the lights went out. It was absolutely dark in there and no sound could be heard. 

They started whispering and then Carya and the Professor lit their wands at exactly the same time. He seemed impressed by her thoughtfulness but didn't say anything, just studied their faces. The children looked calm but he could sense their nervousness. Ginny pressed her nose against the window and told the others what she saw. 

"Someone got onto the train. But I can't see who," Ginny said.

Suddenly the children felt cold, very cold. The compartment door opened and the twins stiffened. They heard screams, a man yelling at a woman to protect someone. Him dying. The woman's pleas to not hurt her children. Then a green light and silence. 

Flashback - The twins 

__

'Run Lily! It's him. Take the twins and run! I'll hold him off!' A male voice said.

Footsteps, a high laughter and some words they couldn't understand.

'Oh James!' The woman whispered. Again footsteps. This time closer.

'Stand aside, silly girl!' The cold high-pitched voice again.

'No, please, not Harry and Carya! Have mercy!' The woman begged unsuccessfully.

A blinding flash of green light and a scream. A soft thump. High pitched laughter following.

'You'll soon follow your good-for-nothing-father and mudblood-mother. Don't worry.' The cold voice said.

Another flash of green light and blinding pain. A scream ... 

but this time from the cold cruel voice.

Everything went dark.

End Flashback - The twins 

The twins opened their eyes, looked at each other for reassurance that everything was alright and found the other equally frightened and shivering but awake. They looked up. A gigantic something was standing right in front of them. 

Harry could see a gray glistening hand which was quickly hidden under black, shabby robes. The stranger had no face or at least it wasn't visible because it was hidden by his hood. The creature took a deep breath or something resembling that. The air went even colder. Carya could again hear the screams and see the pictures but Ginny's soft sobs somehow managed to distract her. 

She instantly knew what those pictures had been - her and Harry's worst nightmare. The dream that haunted them sometimes at night. Always both of them, always the same. It never changed or lessened. The night of Halloween 1981, the night in which their parents had been brutally murdered by Voldemort. The very night they'd somehow reflected the killing curse back to their caster and became legends. 

__

'The children-who-lived'

It was Remus Lupin who finally helped them. "No one in here is hiding Sirius Black under his cloak," he said with disgusted undertones present in his voice. He then fired something silvery from his wand that seemed to chase the creature away.

A few minutes later the lights were back. A pale looking Hermione was comforting the crying Ginny. Carya and Harry both looked like they'd drop dead any second. They were deathly pale and shivered quite hard. 

"What was that?" Harry asked softly.

"That ... was a Dementor of Azkaban. Are you alright?" Lupin asked. He thought their nods were too hesitant and gave them a rather large piece of chocolate each. Ginny and Hermione got one too. "Here eat this. It'll help you." They again hesitated and looked at him slightly wary. Lupin just smiled. "I haven't poisoned it or anything. You can safely eat the chocolate," he said and smiled warmly at them. 

Carya took a bite and instantly felt warmth spread through her body. The others seemed to experience similar comfort because their faces relaxed too. The twins stopped shivering and Ginny's sobs had ceased, too. Lupin disappeared from the compartment. 

The children heard a soft hissing voice from under their seats. Harry and Carya naturally understood immediately. It was their snakes. They too had felt the Dementors effects.

_Sssso cold ..._ said Niamh.

_I'm freezzzing. Make it ssstop, pleassse?_ requested Salazar.

The twins looked around and when they were sure no one would overhear them they discussed this briefly.

"You think chocolate will help them too?" asked Harry.

"No idea but it seems worth a try," his sister answered.

They gave their snakes a piece of chocolate each and soon the relieved reply came from them.

_Thankssss, it'sss better now. Not ssso cold anymore_, hissed Niamh and Salazar just curled up in agreement.

_You're welcome. That's what friends are for_, said Harry.

_You okay Salazar?_ Carya asked her familiar.

_Yesss, jussst sssleepy now. Sssee you later, mylady_, the snake answered and Harry smiled at Carya's annoyed look.

Ginny and Hermione looked at each other and decided to ask later what that was about. A minute or so later Lupin returned and told them that it was only five more minutes to Hogwarts.

The kids changed into their robes and for a few seconds Lupin seemed to look shocked and confused at the Potter twins. He looked away quickly but they'd already noticed, looked each other into the eyes, down at their robes and over to Lupin. In the meantime he had collected himself and found the twins smiling at him.

"Thanks for the chocolate. It really helped a great deal, sir," Harry said politely.

With that the friends left a bewildered Lupin on the train and climbed into a carriage together. 

'Sweet Merlin! They were Lily's and James' kids. But why do they wear Slytherin robes? That's impossible. They should be Gryffindor's like their parents. I wonder how they got into that particular house,' Lupin thought confused. 'Perhaps I should ask them? No better wait and listen to others first,' were his final thought before he too got out of the train and towards a carriage.

They passed another pair of Dementors at the entrance to the Hogwarts Grounds. This time it was only a brief moment of discomfort and nothing else. 

"What was that look about, Carya? When your snake spoke with you?" Ginny wanted to know.

Carya just scowled. She knew that her pet only did that to annoy her but she couldn't help being embarrassed by it. So she left Harry to tell.

"You see. Salazar is much like Carya. Too much perhaps. And even when he isn't feeling well he always teases her. In the beginning the snakes insisted on calling us master or mistress and stuff like that. We told them we were just friends and slowly they accepted that. I personally don't like those titles and Niamh knows it. 

She never calls me that anymore but Salazar occasionally does so with my sister. He did on the train and called Carya _'Mylady'_. It wasn't meant as an insult. It was more or less him expressing his affection towards her but she's always embarrassed by that," Harry explained and smiled apologetically towards his twin.

She by now had calmed down and returned the smile and Ginny as well as Hermione were relieved that the reason for her mood was that simple. The carriage stopped in front of the main entrance and they stepped out of their transportation. The four friends sighed heavily and entered the castle. To their immense surprise Snape was waiting for them. 

He asked them if they were alright and they nodded solemnly. The Professor accepted that and left them alone although he had looked slightly doubtful. In fact they could've sworn he had looked concerned for a brief moment. But they also could've imagined that tired and hungry as they were.

The children of course had to separate in the Great Hall because Hermione was a Ravenclaw but they would as usual meet at breakfast the next day. They sat down at their respective house tables and looked around. Most students were looking slightly ill and were very pale. 

Even the proud Slytherin's were no exceptions. Ginny noticed with some satisfaction that Ron looked almost green. And when she heard that he'd fainted on the train when the Dementor came into her brothers compartment she instantly felt better. 

Although Draco looked paler than usual too, he cracked jokes about a fainting Ron Weasley. 'Well, at least the Slytherin's are brightening up a bit this evening,' Carya thought and could have sworn she'd heard Harry snicker in amusement.

At that moment Professor McGonagall lead the nervous first years into the Great Hall. All of them were staring at the enchanted ceiling in obvious awe and forgot some of their problems for the moment. Their attention was soon brought down to a small stool. An old wizard hat was lying on it and several supposedly muggle-borns made stupid comments about the hat. That got them glares from almost everyone in the room.

Not few jumped a little when a brim of the hat opened and he began to sing this years sorting-song.

**__**

"Lord Gryffindor was from the North,

quite headstrong and prepared to fight.

Brave Godric never did back down,

sought out brave students for the light.

Lord Slytherin came from the East,

he did not act on every single whim.

Cunning Salazar, ambitious and of sneaky mind,

he searched for those who equalled him.

Lady Ravenclaw was from the South,

her heart and soul craved knowledge.

Wise Rowena looked for those who admired learning,

the smartest and the witty kind she did want to teach.

Lady Hufflepuff came from the West,

a kind and trusting fellow if not more.

Loyal Helga would always helped her friends,

the hardworking students she was looking for.

Now all I've left is to find out

where you will fit in best.

Just put me on, don't be afraid,

and let me do the rest."

When the hat finished Professor McGonagall picked up a list. She started calling the students to get sorted. In the end Gryffindor got eight, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw got six and Slytherin got ten new students.

Headmaster Dumbledore gave his start of the year speech and the occasional warnings about school rules and the Forbidden Forest. He then introduced a new teacher. It was Remus Lupin, the man from the train who Carya, Harry, Ginny and Hermione already knew.

"I'd like to introduce our new Defence against the Dark Arts Professor - Professor Lupin!" Dumbledore said and some students clapped. Although they were few. Most of the Gryffindor's and Hufflepuff's, a few Ravenclaw's but barely any Slytherin aside from our trio clapped. After that he made an announcement that hit everyone above second year hard. But even the younger ones weren't pleased at all. 

"As you certainly have noticed, the Hogwarts Express has been searched by some of the Dementors of Azkaban. They will be staying here this year for protection of the school. Further I want you to know that no one is allowed to leave the school grounds without a teachers permission. The Dementors are posing as guards at every entrance to the grounds. You should not try and sneak past them under any circumstances (when he said this he glanced over at the Potter twins and then looked over towards the Gryffindor table but especially the redheads - Fred and George Weasley). 

They will not take any excuse nor will they listen to pleas because it is not their nature to do so. Do as told and give them no reason to harm you. I ask the prefects of each house and the current headboy and headgirl to make sure that no student gets into trouble with the Dementors," the headmaster explained. "Enough of that. Let the feast begin!"

Please Read AND Review.

Thx ,

Carya

Review responses in Author's Note in moving Chapter!


	7. Chapter 07 Defence and Potions

Disclaimer: Not mine, I only own some of the plot of this fanfic and Carya, some parts might be copied from the book (hopefully not very much. I tried to keep it to a minimum), you might notice that some people got into different houses than in the books by JKR; this has only minor reasons, but I need them to be where they are now 

Author's Notes: This Chapter is dedicated to my most frequent reviewer: Shadow Adams. 

Shadow has a wonderful story going as well. It can be found under StoryID 1427766 

I can't post anything akin to links or the story is cut to less than 100 words growl

Next Chapter probably posted together with Chapter 06. I hope that is was not **_too_** long to wait. I had pretty much work to do and until the end of January I will most likely not get home from work until half past four in the afternoons. 

Add that additional schoolwork and learning to that and you have quite a mess. The best ideas I had attacked while I was at work which is a pity. I often can't write them down in time before I forget most of it - hence that long time you have to wait.

And **_please_** people, I know that you just want to read a chapter but give me a **_little feedback_** every once in a while okay? I'd really appreciate that. And it doesn't hurt, you know? Even a 'I liked it' or an 'I think it's crap' is more than enough for me.

****

Chapter 07 - Defence and Potions or Talk to Draco and Secret Chambers

The food appeared on the tables and the welcoming feast began. After dinner the Slytherin's went down to their common room where a prefect told them the new password - _'Purity'_. Harry, Ginny and Carya sat down in a corner of the common room and cast a strong silencing charm around them. 

The kids doubted it would be strong enough if one of the older students or a Professor magically tried to overhear their conversation but it was strong enough to prevent any eavesdropping by chance. They talked about the train ride, the Dementors and most important - about Snuffles.

The twins were really worried for his safety now. They knew that he would try and get Peter out of Hogwarts. Even if he had to get past the Dementors and break in. And if he did then people might start to suspect Lupin to be involved. He and Sirius had been best friends in school afterall. 

"I doubt that Snuffles will just lie low and wait for something to happen. He'll try and get the rat out of the castle by himself," Harry began.

"Right, I think he'd even risk breaking in. He did not really seem to be one of the patient kind of people," Ginny said thoughtful.

"Yes, and if he does that then someone might get hurt. Not necessarily one of our fellow students but think about this. Who of the staff does know him best?" Carya told them.

"Eh, I think Moony might be the one, or perhaps the headmaster, or even Snape," mentioned Harry. 

"Well, Snape and Dumbledore might know him but I think that Moony could get problems if Snuffles tried to capture the rat by breaking into the castle even if he knows more secret passages than anyone else. Snuffles and Moony were best friends at school. The others could suspect Remus of helping Snuffles, don't you think?" the female Potter asked and the other two nodded. 

Carya decided to owl - or better 'raven' - Sirius in the morning. Perhaps they could stop him before he did anything stupid and probably got himself caught in the process. It was already quite late and the children decided to retire for the night. They parted and left towards their respective dormitories. The twins snakes were hidden in their small baskets in the dorms. No one had seen the animals because of the obscuring charm Carya had placed on them before the car brought them to _'King's Cross Station'_. 

It was kind of a notice-me-not spell. Even if someone stood directly in front of them they wouldn't see unless they knew the snakes were there like Ginny and Hermione. Only a very powerful witch or wizard would be able to see them. Since the spell didn't fade away and they never left the dormitories, there was no real danger. 

The four students had agreed to continue on their animagus training even if they weren't in the same house. Hermione would practise alone while the other three practised together as long as they hadn't found a safe room for practise. Within the next few days the would use Harry's invisibility cloak and the _'Marauder's Map'_ (which had been copied by Sirius so that Carya had one too) to find a quiet and abandoned classroom in which they could practise. And it had to be one that was located far away from any used classrooms, the teachers quarters or offices.

The next morning was quite different from dinner last night. Everyone had recovered and was chatting happily with his or her friends. The only thing that was still the same was Draco imitating a fainting Ron in front of the Slytherin's. And he played it quite funny too. The twins and Ginny couldn't help but laugh.

The Gryffindor's of course were already fuming with anger and planned their retaliation on their house rivals. Little did they know that while they could almost easily prank the whole Slytherin house it would be very difficult to pull a prank on the Potters or Ginny this year.

Those three had a few major advantages now. The completed _'Marauder's Map'_, a vast knowledge on pranks thanks to Sirius and the fact that they'd be hardly reachable because of their continued studying sessions and their secret animagus training.

When their head of house passed them their schedules Ginny and Draco who unwillingly had to sit near the other three let out a groan while Carya and Harry just sighed miserably. The still had half of their classes with the Gryffindor's - the same classes as last year.

"Well, so much for a really challenging potions class. We can't really do anything with THEM around no, can we?" said Carya sarcastic and just as loud to be heard at the Gryffindor table. 

"If we at least had potions with Ravenclaw we could actually make some progress in the Art of Potionmaking," Harry added sneering.

The Gryffindor's didn't have any good comments for comeback so they for once kept quiet and settled on glaring and scowling at the Slytherin table. Carya smirked and looked over to Draco. He seemed ashamed of something and looked away. Luckily they had Potions first thing that morning. And Carya was even luckier to get partnered with Draco while Harry was partnered with Ginny. 

Their Professor paired them up and assigned the potion the students had to brew during the double period. It wasn't a difficult one and they'd already covered a simpler version of it last year but every Slytherin would bet that half the Gryffindor's couldn't finish it.

Ron was once again partnered with Neville and that alone promised to be spectacular because Neville couldn't even boil water without causing an explosion or melting a cauldron. While they were preparing their ingredients Carya leaned over and whispered to Draco.

"Hey, we have to talk about your behaviour, Draco," she began and when Draco opened his mouth to reply something she stop him. "No, we definitely will talk. I think I know why you are avoiding us but we still have to talk about it! Meet us in the library shortly before lunch. The History of Magic section. No one ever goes there, except us of course. And don't even think about not coming, I know where you are sleeping ..." she said in a threatening tone and didn't make another attempt at talking to him the whole double period. 

Instead she kept talking telepathically to Harry. They were talking about Professor Snape. He was looking at them oddly. As if he expected something to happen. They knew this kind of look from him. It was the same one he had in _'Diagon Alley'_ when he had helped them buy their supplies for their first year.

Draco's POV 

Draco of course had other problems right now. He felt very uncomfortable. He was afraid, deathly afraid what his father might do if he found out. 'I like the twins. They are my friends, just like Hermione, even if she is a muggle-born witch. And then there is my Ginny. I don't care if the Weasleys are muggle-lovers. And besides, Ginny's a Slytherin. 

Wait, did I really just think MY Ginny? Crap, I really like her. This will be one hell of a schoolyear. I hope Carya isn't going to hex me into oblivion. She certainly looked like it since we got here. But I can't risk to be friends with them. I just can't for their sake ... and for mine too.' Draco mused. He continued to throw glances at Carya but she seemed to ignore him completely. 

She also seemed to share some silent jokes with her brother. 'Must be a twin thing or something like that. I wish I had a sister like Harry has. Life wouldn't be like it is right now if I had,' the young Malfoy thought miserably.

End Draco's POV 

Severus Snape's POV 

The Potions Professor looked at the Potter twins. He had been worried after Lupin's owl had arrived the evening before. He knew from experience what horrible effects a Dementor could have. The twins had been very pale and probably should've stayed in the infirmary for the night but they had told him they were alright.

Not that he had believed that. The children had been far too quiet and pale to be alright but at least they hadn't fainted like the Weasley boy. 

'I wonder what happened on the train. Lupin wrote that they kind of spaced out for a minute or so. And they too seemed a bit wary about him. Do they know about Lupin or about Black. I doubt they do know more than what the _'Daily Prophet'_ wrote but with them you can never be sure.

Harry and Carya are the nosiest Slytherin's I've ever met. Always looking for trouble it seems. Just like last year. It's a miracle that they're on top of most classes. Even Minerva is unable to find anything wrong with their schoolwork.

I sincerely hope that they won't find out who Black really is. They might go and try something stupid. Damnit, I'm not supposed to care for or to be concerned about Potters children.'

'But they're Lily's too!' a little nagging voice from the back of his mind told him.

Severus Snape continued watching them and noticed that Carya was whispering something to Draco Malfoy. The boy was looking scared for the fraction of a second but he slipped under his cool mask immediately. Only his eyes widened a bit when the girl continued talking and narrowed her eyes at him.

'Something's going on there. If I think about it, they have been quite good friends last year. Until christmas that is. After that they were barely seen together. I bet Lucius has told his son to stay clear of the Potters and Miss Weasley. Well, that's not my problem ... Oh no, not again. If I didn't know that the boy was totally dense I'd bet he does that on purpose. Damned Longbottom! I swear that boy's already giving me headaches.'

"Simmering Longbottom, NOT boiling! Do you ever pay attention? It seems not. And you Weasley? Why weren't you paying attention to your lab partner and the potion. Twenty points from Gryffindor each and detention with Mister Filch tomorrow night!" I yelled at them. 

'Serves them right. They should pay attention and not catch up on sleep in my class,' I thought angrily. "Clean up this mess and start over. You will not leave until you've finished this!" I added and Longbottom went even paler but Weasley's face was as red as a tomato now. 

'How I wished he would retort something. Then I could take a few more points from those insufferable obnoxious Gryffindor's.'

He heard someone snicker on the Slytherin side of the classroom but ignored it. He was after all the only teacher who favoured them. So why not be a bit more lenient towards them than the others?

End Severus Snape's POV 

They had already gotten homework on their first day of classes but it didn't really bother the four kids. As usual they met in the library and started working on the essays. After half an hour Carya saw Draco sitting at one of the tables in the History Section. 

She excused herself and went over to him. Making sure no one else saw her. The talk with Draco wouldn't be really successful either. He'd keep telling that they couldn't be seen together because his father forbade it.

"I see you came here, Draco. Now would you tell me why you're avoiding us? I don't think you really believe in that almighty pureblood-nonsense many of your so-called friends are bragging on about, are you?" the girls asked.

"I ... that's none of your business!" he said rather forcefully but instantly regretted it when he saw the half concerned, half furious look in Carya's eyes. "I can't ... I'm not allowed to be friends with you. We can't be seen together. Please .... my father ..." he continued and Carya's face softened a bit.

"He forbade any contact with us, didn't he? And you fear him. You must have a very good reason to fear him if you do because you're one of the bravest Slytherin's I know of Draco. I do hope you get over your fear and decide to be yourself. Don't let someone else rule your life. 

I must be difficult to pretend to be someone else but I think I understand. I still like you as a friend Draco, never forget that!" she replied and just wanted to leave when the other three came over.

"Why do you avoid us Draco? Aren't we friends anymore?" asked Ginny and you could see how badly this affected her. 

She really looked hurt. Even Draco saw that but he couldn't change it, yet. Both the twins seemed to know that she was in love with Draco, hell, even a blind could see that. To Ginny's question if they were still friends he couldn't give a real answer.

"I don't know... I want to but ... I can't ... my father ... I'm sorry," he stuttered and ran away.

For a brief moment Carya could've sworn that Draco had tears in his eyes. She told the others what he'd said to her and what she knew. They decided to stay friends with him even if they couldn't fully trust him. They wouldn't allow anyone to destroy their friendship. All four of them believed that someday they'd have Draco back in their group.

The now inseparable friends soon realised that classes were just the same as last year. Only the topics were different. History of Magic was still as boring as ever. Herbology got more interesting due to new topics but mostly stayed the same, as well as Transfiguration. 

Not even Potions had changed that much. Carya had gotten a reply from Sirius. And it didn't exactly take away her worries. It added to them. Apparently Sirius already was near Hogwarts. He was in great danger if he got caught. 

The twins, Ginny and Hermione had researched the Dementors as the first thing in the library and what they found was NOT good, not at all. Especially the final and choice punishment of the Dementors - the _'Dementors Kiss'_. The Dementor would suck your soul out of your body. 

Without a soul you're still alive but you have no memories, no feelings, no identity any more. They decided that they'd never want to find out how someone looked or was like after this punishment. Fortunately the book they'd used didn't go into detail.

After their first week they'd already settled back into the routines at Hogwarts. They'd also found an abandoned classroom that was located deep in the dungeons but still far away from Snape's office and his rooms. That way their only worries were Filch and his damned cat. This could be easily avoided by doing three things: 

Locking charms on the door because Filch is a squib and can't open them; anti-eavesdropping and silencing charms so that no one can hear them and tell that someone was in that room and last but not least - the _'Marauder's Map'_. It would show them were Filch was at the moment so they wouldn't get caught.

Of course they didn't use the Map only for that purpose. They were roaming the school at night and trying every single secret passage the Map would show. They even found a normally hidden part of the castle which wouldn't appear on the other _'Marauders Map's_ because James was the only one who'd added this part to a certain extent. 

It was a long corridor hidden behind a charmed wall. If you knew the password then you could walk right through it. Similar to the barrier at _'King's Cross'_ but still different. This was some kind of guardian wall. There were five rooms in that corridor. Some kind of classroom, a large bathroom, a small library with books they'd never seen before, a small kitchen of sorts and a bedroom that was as large as their dormitories. 

What they didn't know was that this part wasn't even known to the headmaster. The most surprising thing were the portraits in the little library. They were of the founders. A portrait of Salazar already was guarding the Slytherin Common Room but this one was different. It seemed more alive for some odd reason.

The children decided to come here for training instead of the old classroom because it was more comfortable here.

"What do you think, should we move our training sessions here? I mean, we'd have everything in one corridor. It's like a damned house with kitchen, bedroom and all that," Ginny said excited.

"You're right Ginny. I too think it's a good idea. Hey, we still have three hours till dinner. Why don't we browse this library a bit?" Harry suggested and the girls nodded their heads in agreement.

They looked around and read some of the book spines. It seemed as if the books were from the founders time mostly. Only a few were of newer date but they were still over fifty years old. Suddenly Carya let out a surprised cry.

"What the hell? Harry, Ginny, Hermione! You won't believe what I just found out!" she yelled.

"What's wrong Carya?" asked Hermione.

"These books over here in this dark green shelf ... they are very, very old and most of them are written by Slytherin HIMSELF! But that isn't what I was so excited about. Do you remember the book about Potions I bought before first year? The small black one, Harry?" she told them and Harry nodded.

"It had no author written on it although it was a hand-written one. The handwriting in these books, the books Slytherin wrote, is just the same! My book was written by HIM! Can you believe that?" she shouted in excitement.

The others suddenly understood why she was so hyper right now. They all knew how much she loved Potions and to possess a book like that was more valuable than anything. Harry and Carya also found out that many of Slytherin's books were written in Parseltongue. 

They both decided to have a look at them. Soon it was time for dinner and the four kids left their new hiding place. But first they changed the password. They'd found the instructions in the library and changed it to _'Marauder's Legacy'_. They didn't tell Sirius about the rooms since they didn't know if he knew about them.

One night during their second week back they were already sneaking out onto the grounds to see where the passage under the Whomping Willow led to but they couldn't get in. It was too dangerous and neither of them was very keen of a confrontation with an angry tree. 

The next day Carya wrote Sirius a letter and he explained that the passage lead to the Shrieking Shack where his friend Remus would stay during the full moon when they were at school. The four friends met in their secret rooms every night after dinner. 

They would practise on focusing and clearing their minds until they all could do it in a second. Carya and Harry were already close to accomplishing it while Ginny still had some minor problems when it came to distractions from the outside. 

Soon they would start their partial transformations and find out what kind of animal they were. Since the twins had gotten quite a few letters over the last schoolyear no one found it odd that those letters seemed to have become more frequent. 

What not one of them knew was that most letters were from Sirius who always signed as Snuffles. When the friends discussed him they used this nickname too. Just in case someone overheard them. 

It was the fourth week back at Hogwarts. They'd already gotten more Homework than last term and were currently sitting in the regular library. As usual they split up their work. Carya did everything involving Potions, Harry did Transfiguration, Hermione did History of Magic and Ginny did Charms. 

Herbology was done by Ginny and Hermione and the twins worked on Defence against the Dark Arts. The four kids still vividly remembered their first lessons this year. 

Flashback - Week One / Defence on Friday 

(A/N: September 1st had been a Tuesday. Look into my timeline if anything's unclear.)

Their first experiences with Defence had been better than last year. Although after the Gryffindor's first Defence lesson Snape had been in a real sour mood for about a week and had even given two Slytherin students a detention. 

He didn't go that far to deduct points from his own house, no, that particular pleasure was now reserved for Gryffindor. They lost more points than ever during Potions. Even more than all the three houses together in every other lesson.

The Slytherin's had found out about the reasons the day they had their first Defence lesson. Ginny overheard two Hufflepuff's talking about something involving Snape, a green dress, a big red handbag and a wizardhat with a stuffed vulture on top. She had stopped them and made them tell her the whole story.

Apparently Lupin had them practising on a boggart which would transform into your greatest fear once it got near you. Everyone knew that Neville was scared shitless when he so much as saw the Potions Master. So it was not really surprising that the boggart would use that form. What had been funny was the style they'd dealt with the boggart.

Neville had to imagine Snape in an outfit that wouldn't scare him. So Neville had imagined him in his grandmother's clothes and those had been said dress, handbag and hat. Snape was of course furious about that incident and punished the _'Gryffindorks'_ as the Slytherin's called them even more than before - especially Neville.

They too had fought against a boggart. Slytherin had Defence together with the Ravenclaw's. Unsurprisingly they weren't at all scared when Lupin told them to imagine their worst fear and how to make it look funny. Draco was fidgeting, he didn't want anyone to find out that he was scared of his father. 

Hermione tried to imagine what exactly her worst fear was. Ginny knew what she feared and she didn't really know how to make it better. The hardest was for the twins. They had known what they'd have done with Voldemort. Actually it had been Carya's idea. It went along the lines of Neville's performance.

They both knew what Voldemort looked like because of their nightmares and that oh so lovely visit from that damned Dementor. So Carya had told her brother what she had in mind.

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/Harry, I think I've an idea. Why don't we put him in a pink muggle dancing dress with white hearts all over it. Complete with skirt, shoes and as an addition with a red clowns nose in his face? That should be enough, shouldn't it?/ she told him.

They snickered at that thought but the idea wasn't long lived.

__

/Yeah but, well I don't really know if Voldie is what I fear most. I mean ... do you remember the train ride? It was horrible .../ said Harry. 

At first they had thought about Voldemort but then they both realised that they feared the Dementors even more than the Dark Lord. But how to make a Dementor look less terrifying? That seemed impossible. Luckily they didn't get the chance to battle the boggart. 

All who had answered a question to Lupin at the beginning of class when he'd asked about the theory for this practise, namely Harry, Carya, Hermione, Ginny and Draco, didn't get a go with that pesky little creature. But the friends could tell that hadn't been Lupin's only reason. He had just used it as an excuse for them not to participate.

The twins would ask him why sometime in the future. But their first and foremost desire right now was to find a defence against the Dementors like Lupin had done on the train. After hours in the library and help from Hermione and Ginny they'd found something - the Patronus Charm. It was already very advanced magic and not even many trained wizards got this right because they couldn't fulfil all the necessary requirements.

End Flashback - Week One / Defence on Friday 

Please Read AND Review.

Thx ,

Carya

Review responses in Author's Note in moving Chapter!


	8. Chapter 08 Patronus and Werewolves

Disclaimer: Not mine, I only own some of the plot of this fanfic and Carya, some parts might be copied from the book (hopefully not very much. I tried to keep it to a minimum), you might notice that some people got into different houses than in the books by JKR; this has only minor reasons, but I need them to be where they are now 

Author's Notes: Hello all, while you are reading this I am working hard on Chapter 09 and 10. They are both partly done but need much working on until they are ready to be published. With a bit of luck I'll get them out before christmas vacation starts for me .

Enjoy!

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Chapter 08 - Patronus and Werewolves or Training1 and Tea with Lupin

They would study the charm whenever they found the time. Harry had been thinking about Quidditch and what would happen if they got near him during a game. His conclusion had been horrible and so they had started training. 

Lupin didn't know that the four friends already knew about his _'condition'_. So when they didn't see him after four weeks of classes and Professor Snape taught them instead they weren't at all surprised. 

But everyone else was. Some Ravenclaw's were stupid enough to ask where Professor Lupin was. Snape's answer should've made everyone suspicious but then again he was always like that and it was no secret that everyone thought he wanted the Dark Arts position. 

When he told them to open the books at page 394 - the chapter was about werewolves and he was sure that they hadn't covered it yet, another Ravenclaw made an unwise remark. Hermione just put her head in her hands and thought, 

'How stupid can someone be. It's not exactly wise to question Snape like that ...'

"Sir, but we were working on the hinkypunks right now. Professor Lupin said we would work on werewolves later this year ..." Padma Patil said.

"Miss Patil, are you teaching this class or am I?" he asked in a cold and dangerously quiet voice and they all knew it meant danger.

"You are, sir," Padma said almost inaudible.

"Since we have established that you'll all open your books on page 394. Now, all of you!" he said in a deathly calm voice. No one dared to say anything else. And after a few deducted points from Ravenclaw they all silently read the chapter but very few of them could finish it during the lesson.

He assigned them a three feet long essay about werewolves that should be due on the next Defence lesson. Hermione and her three Slytherin friends suspected that he just wanted the students to find out about the other Professor and get the children's parents to demand the removal of their kind and qualified Defence Professor. 

"Well I think we should just do the essays. It's a good practise and we can let him know that we don't think like other people ... about werewolves I mean," Hermione said.

"Good idea, I know, I'll put in some of what we've found last week. You remember? The newest issue of _'Potions Master's Journal'_ had just been delivered and they'd mentioned this new invention that'd help werewolves ..." Carya told them and Harry just nodded. 

You could always rely on Carya to remember something like that and actually bring it up in a conversation. Not even Hermione did, although she'd read that article too. The four friends agreed on that and successfully completed the assignment.

Most students did complain to Lupin about the essay Snape had assigned and he told them that they didn't need to start or finish it if they didn't want. As expected apart from the four friends no one had really started their essays. The quartet of course finished theirs and handed them in for correction. 

When he read their essays Lupin was quite surprised. Normally works on that topic were either describing werewolves as ruthless, untrustworthy monsters or even worse, as creatures of darkness who should be wiped from the face of earth. 

That was mostly based on the prejudices people had against them. But these essays were close to the subject and neither were they prejudiced nor did they pick one the general description of werewolves. 

What surprised him the most was Carya's essay. She had mentioned the newly invented Wolfsbane Potion and described its effects quite accurate. It was very unusual that a second year student knew about a potion as complicated as this one **_and_** actually understood it's effects on the drinker. 

He was almost sure that they knew but he wondered how. It had only been four weeks of school and he hadn't shown the normal signs of his curse this time. In October the quidditch season started and therefore practise was in order. 

Harry was quite exhausted sometimes with his studies, quidditch, the animagus training and their additional secret practise on the Patronus Charm. Only their best friends knew that they were trying to learn that particular spell but they didn't know how difficult it actually was until a few weeks later. 

It happened a day before their first game. The Slytherin's were practising and integrating their new players. Draco had made it onto the team as beater and he was really good because he had a fantastic aim when it came to bludgers. 

Terence Higgs was also back on the team but as chaser this time. The position suited him better so he and Harry called it a truce. Suddenly everyone fell silent. Luckily the training sessions were supervised this year. 

Two Dementors had entered the quidditch pitch and Harry crashed into the ground. He had just been chasing the snitch and couldn't stop himself before it was too late when they advanced onto the field. 

He lost control and fell, breaking his left arm in the process after crashing into the ground at full speed. It was so quiet that you could hear the bone crack. The Dementors were chased from the grounds and Harry was brought to the infirmary. 

Flint used this as an excuse to delay the game to be played later that year. Gryffindor would now play against Hufflepuff and not Slytherin. Harry wasn't happy. To be exact, he was quite the opposite. He was beyond furious. 

'Damned Dementors. I need a plan. If that happens in a game then we're lost not to mention I'll most likely end up dead,' he mused. 

Lupin had heard about that incident and wanted to make sure that Harry was alright. When he looked for him the next day Harry seemed to have vanished. The Defence Professor searched almost the whole school with the exception of the common rooms.

He finally found him and his sister in the library while everyone else was watching the Quidditch game.

"Damnit, I think that we are doing something wrong. I don't get over this foggy cloud. Are you sure were doing this right, Carya?" Harry asked.

"I'm one hundred percent sure, Harry. Perhaps it's the memory you used, my dear twin. Try another. What about our eleventh birthday, or christmas last year? We have to have a happy memory that is actually strong enough for this to work!" his sister answered. 

Lupin stood frozen. Foggy cloud? Happy memory? They couldn't possibly ... but they did. They were practising the Patronus Charm, not very successful but something had obviously happened. Remus watched the frustrated kids for a few minutes and then cleared his throat. 

The startled twins looked into his direction.

"Eh, hello Professor Lupin. Is something wrong?" Carya asked cautiously.

"No, no, everything's alright, I think. But you seem to have a few problems here. Maybe I could help you?!" Lupin suggested, "I'm rather surprised that you are almost able to cast a spell that most adults have severe problems with."

"Hmm, maybe but it's not really working. And I don't know why, damnit!" Harry burst out and Carya just snickered at this. Normally she was the one with the short temper but her brother was really frustrated that it didn't work the way he wanted. Harry simply glared at her and sulked.

Their main reason for this was Quidditch. And no one in Slytherin dared to insult Harry when it came to him and quidditch. That was almost suicide. So it was understandable that Harry was quite impatient about learning something that would probably save his life in a game.

"Eh, Professor? Can I ask you a few questions? It's about our first lesson," Carya said remembering that particular lesson quite well.

"Of course but let's move this into my office, shall we?" he offered.

Lupin led Harry and Carya through the right now nearly empty hallways. Neither of them spoke a word until they reached their destination but Harry and Carya shared their thoughts.

__

/What do you want to ask him?/ Harry wanted to know. 

__

/Only why he didn't let us fight the boggart in our fist lesson. Not that I'd wanted it after we discovered what we feared most,/ said Carya and shivered slightly.

__

/Yeah, you're right. How could you make a Dementor look funny? I mean, as soon as we get near those monsters we can't even **think** straight! It's difficult enough to concentrate on the thought then. Maybe Professor Lupin **can** actually help us with this,/ her brother replied.

__

/Exactly, I mean, usually we don't need help with any spell but I think this is different. It's a very advanced protection charm. We knew we would most likely fail but we still tried. Well, we had to, there was no other choice. 

I don't want to end up as a Dementors breakfast!/ Carya said and looked at Harry.

Harry made a face and told his sister what exactly he thought about that. _/Uugh, nice mental image, dear sister. I could've lived without that, really./_

Soon they were sitting in the Professors office. It was a bit messy but you felt comfortable there. Not like in Snape's office. That was more like a torture chamber or the like. Lupin offered them some tea and after they'd eyed their cups warily the twins actually drank it. 

Their professor was half amused and half worried about that. Did they mistrust him? But then again, they were Harry and Carya Potter. The had a right to be slightly paranoid, hadn't they? They definitely acted more like Slytherin's than Gryffindor's. 

'So,' he thought, 'they really are in the right house but how did it come to that?'

"Well, Carya, what exactly do you want to know?" he asked.

"Eh, why didn't you let us fight the boggart? I don't really believe the excuse with us having answered the question at the beginning of class," the girl said eyeing the older wizard curiously.

"Quite observant you are Carya, that's a useful skill sometimes. You are right. That wasn't the only reason I stopped you two. I thought it wouldn't be good if the Dark Lord appeared in the teachers lounge. Even if it was only a boggart. But it seems I was mistaken?" he explained.

"Eh, at first I'd thought about Voldemort but that wouldn't have been much of a problem. We unfortunately know what he looks like but I'd already an idea to take care of him. Neville inspired me," she said with a slight grin.

"And that idea would've been?" asked their now very curious teacher. 

Lupin was surprised when she said his name and Harry didn't seem to mind either but he didn't mention it just then.

"I'm sure it would've been funny but I don't think the other students would've understood either. I had thought of putting him into a pink muggle ballet-dress with white hearts all over it. The outfit would be completed with matching shoes and skirt," 

Harry snickered a bit while telling this but then he became serious, "But we realised that it wasn't Voldemort that we feared the most ..."

"... it was the Dementor, right?" Lupin suddenly interrupted, "that's why you are practising that charm. To defeat your worst fear and therefore fear itself. A wise decision but difficult to accomplish. 

Perhaps I could be of use. We could practise with a boggart until you're able to perform the Patronus. What do you think?" he asked.

"You would help? That would be great," the twins said in unison.

Suddenly Lupin asked Carya what he had wanted to know all the time, not thinking about the consequences this question could have. 

"Carya, I have to say I was surprised by your essay about werewolves. With the other three too, but especially with yours. How come that you aren't using the common prejudices and accusations towards werewolves in your train of arguments?" he wanted to know.

"Well, as you just said, they are only that, prejudices. I don't believe everything of what other people tell me. For all I know werewolves aren't that much different from normal humans. Sure, many of them have quite a short temper but that's the same with me, and I'm not one. 

Sometimes with a few people the wolf shows itself without the full-moon but only when they are really angry, upset or completely exhausted. Apart from that they are only dangerous when transformed into a wolf because their human mind is completely suppressed by the beast inside.

Normally that's for two or three days every full-moon. On all other days they are just as harmless as anyone else. And with that new potion they aren't really dangerous anymore because it allows them to keep their human mind even in wolf-form. 

They could only be dangerous throughout the actual transformation process," she told him.

He was really surprised at this and unsuccessfully tried to hide it but now they both looked at him oddly and he began to regret his question.

"We won't tell anyone. I think apart from us only Ginny and Hermione know. You have nothing to fear from us. We swear to not use it against you because expulsion for threatening a teacher is not something we want to do, you know? We don't mind you being what you are. 

Actually I think our head of house assigned this so that the students would find out. But he hadn't counted on the kids hating any type of homework," Carya said and started giggling at the last comment.

"How did you know I was a werewolf?" Lupin asked curiously.

"Well, there was you being ill during the full-moon period. There was the curious form of your boggart, a silvery floating something - apparently the full-moon - and the way you looked like the days after the full-moon. It all fit together," Harry said. It wasn't the exact truth but came close enough.

"And why do you believe that I mean no harm to you? Not that I mind, Merlin forbid. It's soothing that at least some students trust me even if they know," he said.

"Eh, that's a bit difficult to explain. It has to do with ... our parents," Carya began and Lupin paled a bit, 

"Mum left me her diary and you were mentioned in it too. Our mother gave her life to protect us, her children. She always trusted you. And she trusted you enough to announce you our second godfather without our Dad even knowing it. 

And before you ask, we know who our other godfather is, but I'd rather avoid that topic at the moment. Please don't tell the headmaster that we know. They all think we're going to do something rash and stupid. Especially Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall. 

That's why we trust you more than them right now. You're not treating us like time-bombs right now or as if we're going to break down any time soon," she explained and smiled at him. Harry was smiling too and Lupin felt better than ever since Lily and James had died.

"There's one other thing I want to ask you two. I'm curious as to why you call the Dark Lord by his name. Hardly anyone does it. I only know of the headmaster and Professor Snape here in school," he asked the children.

"Well, he tried to kill us, didn't he? I think that's reason enough," Harry began.

"Yeah, I mean something like attempted murder is a very personal thing, isn't it. I too think that would be enough for us to be on a real name basis with him. I don't think that we're that afraid of him," Carya continued and then her twin took over again.

"We certainly respect his powers. We had to face him and that bastard Quirrell last year. So I think we should call him by his name. It doesn't change a thing if we started to call him You-Know-Who, does it? I mean, it's still the same person," the boy said.

"That's right. And, it's just a name. If we would be afraid to say a name then we certainly would be terrified to meet the person who that name belongs to, that's for sure. Thus, we call him Voldemort," Carya said.

"Or even better by the nickname Carya invented for him over summer," Harry said smiling.

"You invented a nickname for the Dark Lord?" Lupin asked flabbergasted and they nodded, "Would you tell me?"

"Sure. It came up during a discussion about houses over summer. Carya suddenly started smirking and asked if someone should think all Slytherin's are evil just because Moldie-Voldie was in that house too," the Potter boy told his Professor and could hardly hold back a snicker.

"What? You actually called him **_that_**?" Lupin asked stunned.

"Well not personally ... yet. Just among us friends but I think if someone called him that face to face he would certainly be seriously pissed off, wouldn't he?" Carya added smirking.

They all had to laugh about that. It certainly was funny and Lupin thought that he even might tell the headmaster about that one. Perhaps they could get everyone to think like the twins. Not underestimating Voldemort's powers but not fearing his name any more. 

That would certainly be a good thing. Remus then remembered one of Dumbledore's quotes when he thought about that. _'The fear of a name increases the fear of the thing itself.' _

They made some appointments for their training sessions and went separate ways after Lupin had promised not to tell anyone of their knowledge if they agreed to call him Remus or even Uncle Remus when they were in private. 

When Carya said she'd prefer his original nickname if allowed he got a little sad but it felt good to have someone to call him that so he agreed to that too. Perhaps it would even help to heal some of the old wounds he carried in his heart, too.

But the twins weren't all that happy. They'd seen how sad and angry Remus had gotten when they'd mentioned Sirius and their parents. They discussed it quietly when they were walking back to their common room.

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/Crap, I just wished we could tell him the truth, Harry. It's not fair ... No, don't tell me that life is never fair. I know that. But this time it's especially unfair. He looked so hurt. I'm sure he believes he's all alone and lost all of his friends that Halloween night,/ Carya told him.

__

/I know, I hope we can tell him some time. Snuffles deserves a chance. I just hope we'll find the rat in time, before something happens that is beyond our control,/ Harry added worried.

Please Read AND Review.

Thx ,

Carya

Review responses in Author's Note in moving Chapter!


	9. Chapter 09 Classes, Quidditch and Train...

Disclaimer: Not mine, I only own some of the plot of this fanfic and Carya, some parts might be copied from the book (hopefully not very much. I tried to keep it to a minimum), you might notice that some people got into different houses than in the books by JKR; this has only minor reasons, but I need them to be where they are now 

Author's Notes: As you surely have noticed, AN chapter are forbidden now. Review responses will be at the top of a new chapter now. As for my progress in writing this ... same as usual, too little time and too much work sigh but ... I am trying to get new chapters done as soon as possible. A double feature this time again since I strangely have been working on both chapters at the same time.

2003-12-10

Review Responses: 

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Shadow: Your welcome but I really appreciate that you review every chapter . As for your question ... well, their relationship will definitely change. He'll like them better, although how much ... I'm not telling, yet evilgrin. I guess you'll like what I've planned for the next time I post something smirk

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lurker : Thank you. I'm not planning on abandoning this until I have at least finished book 7. What comes after that ... I don't know.

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Mr.Virail (mikedunn2001hotmail.com) : No problem. I am happy you reviewd this at all . I don't get many reviews for some reason unknown to me. I like it that you liked the chapter.

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Chapter 09 - Classes, Quidditch and Training2 or Animagi Secrets

The following weeks were quite exhausting for the twins. They had classes to attend, plenty of homework to do, the kept in touch with their friends, they also practised on their animagus transformation and they had additional tutoring sessions with Remus. 

And they were actually progressing with their Patronus charms. Carya's already had a clear form. It was a beautiful looking woman - unmistakably her mother. Harry's Patronus was bigger than hers and it still didn't have a real form but it worked quite well itself. 

They talked about it in a secluded and quiet corner of the Slytherin common room.

"I still can't believe that an image of Mum is my Patronus. It's so ... I don't know how to describe it. It's as if I had finally found her," Carya told her brother with tears glittering in her eyes.

Harry knew exactly how she felt. He gathered his sister into his arms and held her close until she had calmed down. It really didn't happen often that Carya was close to crying but when happened Harry was always able to help her.

Finally it was a week before Halloween. The friends had just started to do partial transformations. Carya, Harry and Ginny had sprouted patches of fur on their arms and Hermione's eyes had become amber coloured. 

Today she managed to get another clue on her form. She got feathers, dark brown feathers. Carya's and Harry's fur looked almost identical. It was pitch black, darker than the night, just like their hair and they were definitely in for something canine if you judged by the way their teeth changed. 

Ginny had gotten long whiskers and believed she would be a feline. Halloween was much more enjoyable when you aren't interrupted by someone running into the Great Hall in the middle of he feast and yelling about trolls. 

They'd spent all day in the library working on some essays. Now that they'd all homework done they had a free weekend. No work, no quidditch. The _'Slytherin Three'_ and their _'Ravenclaw Drag-along_' as they were called by most students would spend quite some time on their training.

They skipped training this night to just relax for once and went to bed early. They didn't notice what happened in the castle that very night. But they found out the next morning. When they came into the Great Hall for breakfast everyone stared at the twins as if they were ghosts. 

Carya and Harry scowled and glared at them. They didn't like that kind of attention and became quite irritated. Hermione sat with them at the Slytherin table which in return got them scowls and glares from most Slytherin's. 

They were about to snap at their own housemates when their Ravenclaw friend began telling them what was wrong with everyone.

"Have you heard what happened? Sirius Black tried to break into Gryffindor tower last night while everyone was here at the feast. He ruined the portrait that is guarding the entrance to the common room. Can you believe that?" Hermione told them. 

The four friends soon left the Hall and went outside.

"They keep saying that he was after you, thought that you were Gryffindor's like your parents. That he wanted to kill you two for his master. And that he is definitely insane," Hermione continued hastily.

"Well, as much as I disagree with their first three assumptions, I most definitely agree on the last one. Such an idiot. Every auror and Dementor around here will now be looking for him. ... _'Harry, Carya don't get yourselves into trouble'_... my ass! He is someone to talk. 

I think I'll write him a letter in that code we have developed. It's time we put to good use what he taught us in the summer," Carya said angrily and headed towards the library. The only place where you would be undisturbed on Sundays.

The next thing they found out was that Scabbers had disappeared. Carya's letter was quite harsh but Sirius knew she was right. His actions had not only drawn attention, he'd obviously revealed that he was after something or someone. 

What was worse was that Peter knew because he had fled - again. They hadn't noticed that Snape had watched their exit from the Great Hall. He now was definitely sure that they knew more than the teachers thought. 

Everyone had expected them to be upset, frightened even but the two Slytherin's only seemed very angry when they followed their Ravenclaw friend outside. It was also obvious that Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley shared their knowledge. 

The only question was now; how much did they really know? He was afraid that they would act like a Gryffindor would and do something stupid but when they returned for lunch they seemed just as ever and ignored everyone's whispers and stares in their direction.

Two days later Sirius got another letter, actually two. One from Harry which was about the usual and one from Carya. She apologised for her tone and told him that she was just worried sick about him. She didn't want to lose him. 

She also told him to stay away from the castle because Remus was their Defence teacher. This surprised Sirius, his best friend, a teacher! But Carya was right. Remus would know it was him. He knew him far too well. And the twins couldn't leave the castle. 

The children were again practising their animagi forms. Ginny had gotten furrier, red fur to be exact and her eyes still were a deep blue. Hermione's eyes had gone from brown to a deep dark amber and her body seemed to shrink. 

"Of course it would," she said to herself, "Apparently I'm some kind of bird. But not an owl. My feather type is different. They're much longer!"

Harry and Carya were far more successful. They'd already transformed their hands, arms and legs into their canine counterpart including paws and claws. It wouldn't take long for them to complete the transformation. They'd progressed quickly after Halloween. Why that was, they didn't know.

It was the second Quidditch match of the season - Slytherin against Hufflepuff. Although the Hufflepuff team in its entirety was not that much of a threat, their new captain and seeker Cedric Diggory certainly was. Flint kept telling Harry to catch the snitch or to die trying. 

He didn't care what happened as long as they won the game. It was a tough game. The rain was hindering their vision and the temperatures were quite low for early November. Harry only had two worries. He didn't care about the weather. 

He worried about the Dementors and about how to catch the snitch. Diggory was good, Harry had to admit. But Harry's broom was better. That and the higher speed of the Nimbus 2000 Harry had made up for his lack of experience.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw three tall and hooded figures approach. His thoughts were swirling - Dementors, here, at the game - he had to act quickly because he had just spotted the snitch. And Harry wasn't sure if Cedric had seen it too. 

Harry cast his Patronus which still was without distinct form (actually it looked like a big solid rock right now) at the three figures and raced after the snitch. A minute later it was over. Slytherin had won by one hundred and eighty points. The final score was 230 to 50.

When Harry landed he spotted his sister, Ginny and Hermione running towards him. They looked worried. They were just about to talk to him when they heard an irritated Professor Snape yelling at someone and Professor McGonagall did just the same.

"Weasley, Thomas, Finnegan, Edwards, Daniels and Steppard. I'm very disappointed with you. You did this with the intention to interrupt the game by harming the Slytherin seeker. I do not care if you just wanted to tease him or not. 

This behaviour is not becoming of a Gryffindor. You will each lose twenty points from Gryffindor - yes, Mister Weasley, I'm taking points from my own house - and you will serve a month worth of detention with Mister Filch," the irate head of Gryffindor said.

"Each of you will also apologise to Mister Potter for this, in public!" added Snape.

Ron had a very hard time not to protest against that. He would have to apologise to Harry Potter of all people. That was the worst punishment he could get. The other boys felt almost the same way as Ron did. 

And as if that hadn't been bad enough, no, Slytherin was now leading in the house championship by more than two hundred points. The Gryffindor's had so hoped that they would win the cup this year but since the Slytherin's almost never lost any points this seemed to be impossible.

The Gryffindor's had been told that they had to apologise to Harry at dinner. There was no way around that. Not even getting themselves into the hospital wing would get them out of this particular punishment. 

The six boys were absolutely dreading dinner. But the had to go. When the students were all assembled in the Great Hall Professor Dumbledore rose and everyone went silent.

"Well, I think six of our Gryffindor's want to say something," he announced and looked sternly at the mentioned boys.

The Gryffindor's stood one after the other and more or less stuttered their apology to Harry without really looking at him. After they'd finished their speech nothing happened for a few seconds and they dared to look up. 

Just at that moment Harry rose from his seat and said in a calm and collected voice, "Apology accepted." 

And with that the Slytherin sat down again. Dumbledore nodded at him and then looked at the Gryffindor's with disappointment in his eyes. The six boys sat down again and dinner started. 

Soon they were all chatting happily and everyone thought that it was really nice of Harry to forgive them for what they'd tried. Of course Harry's intentions for doing that hadn't been that innocent at all. He knew how to use such a situation for his own benefits, he was a Slytherin after all. 

His sister knew exactly what Harry had in mind when he did his little speech. That would raise the other houses opinions of them quite a bit. And they could use this in the future. But she wasn't the only one who had noticed. 

The headmaster seemed to know and Snape looked at them with an odd look in his eyes.

__

/Hey, Harry! Look at Snape! I think he knows what your intentions were. He keeps shooting us odd glances,/ Carya told her brother with a grin.

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/Yeah, you're right but I don't care. More important is that the others don't know, isn't it? Although I don't like that kind of attention it could be of use in the future. If Voldie's coming back we might need the support of the other houses,/ Harry replied grinning back at her.

__

/Right, I always overlook that there are quite some children in our house whose parents probably have been or still are Death Eaters,/ she answered and smirked at her Head of House.

Severus Snape's POV 

'What the hell is Potter doing now?'

"Apology accepted," the boy said and sat back down.

'Did he just do what I think he did? He hates Weasley and if I'm right he wanted to tear him apart on the Quidditch pitch. Together with his sister and those two friends of his ... 

I can't believe it. A Potter acting like a true Slytherin! Perhaps the Sorting Hat was right to put them into my house after all. Everyone except Albus and I bought that. Even Minerva McGonagall who is always suspicious of any Slytherin student. Well, wonders never cease!' 

I glanced over to the Slytherin table and at the twins in particular,

'Shit, they noticed. What? She is smirking now, I'm sure she knows what I was thinking. Really, that girl is far too perceptive to be true. I have to ask Albus sometime if Potter really was their father. Neither he nor Lily were like this, ever ...' 

End Severus Snape's POV 

Classes went on, homework was done and soon it began to snow. History lessons were as boring as always and the friends took turns in taking notes. They'd copy them afterwards with a simple duplication charm. 

Herbology was slightly more interesting as they were currently learning about mandrakes. They soon knew that their screams could kill you but that the mandrake or mandragora was also a powerful restorative that could turn cursed or transfigured people back to their original state. 

Because of that it was an essential part of most antidotes. In Transfiguration they for example had to turn beetles into buttons. The Slytherin's were quite successful at it as well as most Gryffindor's but as always the Gryffindor's got more points then their rivals. 

Only Harry and Carya who were by far the best students of this class (well Harry had helped Carya outside of classes since he was better in this subject). got the same amount of housepoints as the Gryffindor's.

In Charms they learned about the disarming spell _'Expelliarmus'_ and the _'Alohomora'_ charm since they hadn't covered that last year. The Slytherin's had heard from the Hufflepuff's that Neville Longbottom had succeeded in messing up the Disarming-Charm. 

He had blasted poor Flitwick across the classroom and the small Professor actually had to go to the infirmary after that. Aside from that Charms wasn't that interesting right now because they were analysing very simple spells and hardly anyone of the students did not know all that by now. 

Defence Against the Dark Arts was quite interesting as the were currently finishing on the hinkypunks and soon would move on to Vampires. The most interesting thing for the Slytherin's was - it couldn't be anything else - Potions! 

Longbottom kept messing up even the simplest potion. Weasley and his friends would always get the blame and the Slytherin's got more housepoints than ever. Not unfairly though because their potions were almost always right. 

Well some of the Gryffindor's potions would be right too if it weren't for a few of the Slytherin's, especially Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini and Darrick Sanders. They would sabotage the Gryffindor's potions quite often and Snape didn't seem to notice that or he outright ignored it. 

It wasn't as if they harmed them. They just made sure the Potions were failures. If the Gryffindor's complained about it though they always lost points for accusing their fellow classmates of sabotage. Soon they stopped complaining and retaliated outside the classroom. 

There were more pranks played on the Slytherin's now than ever. Mostly initiated through the Weasley twins and Ron. But the Slytherin's always had a comeback and sometimes they even asked for the assistance of Carya, Harry and Ginny. 

They in return would help their housemates to find something that made a suitable punishment for the _'snobby Gryffindorks'_ as they were called. Soon it was December 4th and Ginny and Carya were once again alone in the library. 

Their homework was finished and Harry and Hermione had left to go 'for a walk' as they had explained. It was pretty much obvious that the two loved each other even at their young age. The four of them only were together when they practised their animagi form.

Carya had felt odd the whole day. She just knew that something was going to happen. But when dinner came around nothing interesting had happened so far and she relaxed a bit. After dinner they met Harry and Hermione outside their secret place and once they were inside they immediately started practise. 

The last time they'd gotten there they had brought a small mirror which had been enlarged to cover one of the walls. After half an hour it happened. Carya suddenly was gone. In her usual spot sat a beautiful black wolf with dark blue eyes. 

They only other odd thing about the wolf was a patch of grayish white fur near it's left shoulder. The wolf blinked and turned around. Or better it tried to turn around. After a few attempts to get used to four feet instead of two the wolf finally managed to get a look of itself in the enlarged mirror. 

If wolves could've gasped this one would've done it now. Carya's animagus was definitely a wolf. Twenty minutes later Harry managed his transformation too. He looked exactly like Carya. He too was a wolf but his eyes were a deep emerald green and he had a patch of grayish white fur above his right eye. 

It looked a bit like a lightning bolt but only if you looked really close. Together the twins changed back into their human forms. Hermione and Ginny congratulated them and the two Potters promised to help them as much as possible.

"It's incredible. I can't believe I'm a wolf. Even as wolves we look so much alike, it's outright scary, brother," Carya said excitedly.

"Yeah, you're right. Wait until we tell Snuffles about this. He'll surely roll on the floor between fits of laughter," Harry said jokingly.

When Harry and Carya dreamt that night, they didn't have nightmares but they found themselves - which they'd discover the next morning - in exactly the same dream. They were in a circular room with torches on the walls and there was no entrance visible.

It also looked really old. Then out of thin air two mirrors appeared. One in front of Harry and the other in front of Carya. They considered their actions for a moment and then decided to look into the mirrors. The twins were shocked by what they saw.

Harry saw a black and green winged snake. The wings were silver and the eyes were a shimmering deep emerald green - Harry's eyes. Carya looked into the eyes of a phoenix. The phoenix was black, green and blue and it's eyes were the same deep colour as her own. 

The two children heard a whisper in the air that sounded just like _'You have seen your souls, now go and find your true selves_!'

The twins talked to each other in the morning and found it odd that they'd actually shared a dream. That had never happened before apart from their reoccurring nightmare. But didn't mention it in front of Ginny and Hermione for now. 

They decided to try something the next night after they'd finished the group-animagus training. Once their friends were gone, they changed into their wolf form several times until they got it as quick as possible. Then the twins sat down and concentrated. 

They concentrated hard on the pictures they'd seen in the mirrors last night. Both of them were suddenly surrounded by a green and silver light. They could now clearly see their so called _'true selves'_. 

And a few seconds later they weren't human any more. In front of the fireplace sat a beautiful blue-eyed black, green and blue phoenix and an intriguing black and green snake with emerald green eyes and silvery wings. 

They had found out what the phrase _'your true selves'_ meant. They had two animagus forms. They decided to keep that a secret for now because this was something they could use against Voldemort should he ever come back to life. 

Which was very likely if one could believe the rumours that were spreading through Slytherin house after last years incident.

(A/N: They don't tell anyone for a very long time because this is just to mysterious!)

Please Read AND Review.

Thx ,

Carya

Review responses at the beginning of next chapter!


	10. Chapter 10 Letters and Christmas

Disclaimer: Not mine, I only own some of the plot of this fanfic and Carya, some parts might be copied from the book (hopefully not very much. I tried to keep it to a minimum), you might notice that some people got into different houses than in the books by JKR; this has only minor reasons, but I need them to be where they are now 

Author's Notes: My imagination is running wild these weeks though. I have possible scenes for all remaining books in my series in my head but don't know if these ideas will ever get written down. There are also several new story ideas driving me crazy so I have to write these on paper or I won't get anything of ADW done.

I hope that this is up to your standards and as a little bribe to get more reviews, I will send a scene that might appear in one of the following books to those who review and leave me a note saying that they want me to send it to them. 

I don't want to be accused of spamming someone's mail-account so please state that you indeed want those snippets .

2003-12-24

Review Responses: 

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laffytaffygirl: Thanks, I like it that some people like reading my version of HP. .

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The Fallen Angel Serra: Thank you for the advice. I might just try and do that in the future. I'm definitely going to finish this up until at least book 6. I have a few ideas for the seventh year but nothing special right now. I'm really happy that you think it's good!

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Psychotic Coconut Observer: Thank you for pointing out the difference with the grading system. I have already updated that part of my website. It's good to get this information from someone who knows what it's really like.

Chapter 10 - Letters and Christmas or Minister Fudge: Take Two

They trained this as much as possible. The older students had been rather busy because they were allowed to go to Hogsmeade to buy christmas presents. The younger ones had just ordered them trough the _'Owl Express'_. 

Soon it was December 19th, almost christmas, and Ginny as well as Hermione had finally managed their transformation. Ginny was a kneazle with fluffy red fur and pale blue eyes while Hermione was a raven, her feathers not entirely black but dark brown with amber eyes. 

They four friends celebrated this with butterbeer and cookies which they got from the house elves. At first Hermione had problems with that. She thought they were some kind of slaves but she soon realised that the elves really liked working. 

And they were treated alright at Hogwarts. Their little party lasted the whole night and when their respective dormmates asked them where they'd been on the next morning the friends just told that they'd been studying.

Of course no one believed that but since no teacher had noticed they were safe. And even if someone had wanted to get them into trouble it was hardly possible because there was no proof. They were called by a prefect to explain their absence when they were halfway to their dorms.

"Hey, where have you three been last night?" asked a Slytherin prefect.

"We were studying with Hermione but it's none of your business!" Carya shouted and she and Ginny disappeared into the 2nd year girls dormitory. 

Harry was gone before the prefect could asked another question. He didn't bother to find out what had happened any further. Every Slytherin knew that at least the twins would either ignore any questions or hex them if they got annoyed even if they were older than Harry and Carya.

The last two days of classes were not really that interesting. Hardly anyone paid attention because of the approaching holidays. Only Potions on Monday (December 22nd) had been amusing enough to talk about. 

Neville Longbottom had melted another cauldron and Gryffindor lost fifty-six points in one single lesson. The reasons were the same as always but not paying attention did not help them at all. Their housemates were quite angry about that. 

It was already difficult enough for Gryffindor to gain any points because the teachers always compared them to Ravenclaw and some of the smarter Slytherin's. And if those 'know-it-alls' as the Gryffindor's called them didn't get any points they wouldn't get any either. 

In addition to that they lost quite some housepoints during every Potions lesson. At dinner on the last evening before the students departure the whole Gryffindor table was strangely quiet. They were beyond pissed because they were in fourth or better last place in the house championship now. 

Even the Hufflepuff's had gained more points than them. Professor McGonagall was furious about Professor Snape unfairness towards her house. Snape of course enjoyed that though he didn't show it. He looked his usual 'christmas-hating' self. 

The next morning Draco again went home for christmas. He didn't look forward to it. Draco really wished that he could've stayed at Hogwarts with his true friends but his so-called friends were just kids his father wanted him to be with. 

He hated that but didn't dare to voice those thoughts towards anyone. Although he had hardly spoken a word with the twins, Ginny and Hermione, they all gave him a christmas present because sending them to him would've gotten him in trouble with his father he noticed. 

This way he could just say that some admirers had given them to him. Draco really didn't know what to think anymore. He had treated his true friends horribly because he was so much afraid of what his father might do to them or him if he found out but they still were nice to him. 

They still were his friends, wanted to be with him, wanted him to be a part of their little group. It was a wonderful feeling, Draco felt loved and truly wanted. Nothing like his so called home. He was tolerated at Malfoy Manor as long as he did what Lucius demanded. 

Not even his mother seemed to feel anything for him. But that might be Lucius fault too.

Draco's POV 

Draco was confused beyond belief. 'Shit, what do I do now. I just don't know what to think anymore. ... Damnit, they are my friends. I should be able to be with them anytime I want. If I only weren't that much afraid of my own father. ... This is not right. 

No child should have to fear it's parents. That's exactly what I am. I'm just a child. I can only hope that I'll make the right decisions. And I'm pretty sure that I'll have to make them sooner as I would like it.' Draco thought when he again looked at the presents his friends had given him.

End Draco's POV 

Sirius was still writing letters and since he hadn't been spotted after that incident on Halloween the security in Hogsmeade was lowered a bit. Christmas at Hogwarts was a funny thing. The Gryffindor Weasley's for once went home completely. 

Only Ginny stayed and her parents finally understood. Bill had accepted her too and Charlie hadn't known in the first place. But he had accepted it from the start. So Ginny was a bit surprised when she got so many presents from her parents, from Bill and from Charlie. 

Actually Charlie thought it was quite funny to have a family member in Slytherin. He sent his sister a statue of a beautiful green and silver dragon and a necklace with a miniature of said dragon. She was truly happy. Now she had at least some family to care for her again.

Ron had once again made fun of Ginny before he left for the train. That just screamed for revenge. After a bit of talking the Fat Lady could be persuaded to let the Slytherin's into the Gryffindor common room one night. 

They set up quite an amount of pranks on Ron's, Fred's, George's and Percy's beds. Ginny enjoyed this the most. She would finally be able to get them back for that and everything they'd done to her since she'd started Hogwarts. 

She also knew that Harry and Carya had written a letter to her parents. Telling them that if they didn't treat Ginny properly in the future they would adopt her as their sister and change her name to Potter. Carya had added that she would be glad to add someone like Virginia to HER family. 

That finally did it. Molly and Arthur didn't exactly like Slytherin's but they still loved their daughter and to think that someone else cared more for their own child than they did hurt them very much. They got over it and apologised to Ginny. Molly sent Harry and Carya something too. 

Flashback - The Letter at the Burrow 

It was early December and Molly Weasley was currently making dinner for herself and her husband when an unfamiliar animal - a raven to be exact - flew into their kitchen and dropped a letter. The next minute the raven was gone and Arthur Weasley came home from work. 

Molly was still staring at the letter. It was addressed to herself and Arthur.

**__**

To Mister And Mrs. Weasley

The Burrow

No sender was written onto the envelope. They cautiously opened it and pulled out a piece of parchment. And together they started to read this strange letter.

__

'Mister And Mrs. Weasley,

you will most likely have heard about us from your sons by now because we're Harry and Carya Potter. Although we're pretty sure that they've put us under a dark light we want to tell you something.'

At this the Weasleys were looking confused at each other. What could the infamous Potter twins possibly want from them?

__

'We have heard AND seen how you and your sons are treating our best friend and your own flesh and blood - Ginny! My brother and I just wanted to tell you how despicable and detestable such a behaviour is. You are all treating her like the plague, like some animal that isn't worth living.

Did you notice how much pain you are causing your own daughter? Can you even imagine what she's been through after her whole family abandoned her? Do you know that she cried herself to sleep the first weeks after the sorting? I think you don't. 

Her brothers treat her like shit - like the pest would be a better description. I cannot understand how a family could treat one of their own like that. Even our Muggle-relatives who really dislike magic for some reason treat us both like their own children.

Well, if you don't want Ginny only because she was sorted into Slytherin which by the way is nothing bad - it just suits her personality quite well - then we would gladly adopt her into **our** family. We love Ginny with all our heart and consider her our little sister. Slytherin is not evil or dark.

It's only different from the other houses. A house doesn't make you what you become. It's your actions and decisions and Ginny is one of the kindest and nicest witches on earth. I cannot say that about your sons. 

They are truly despicable if you judge them by their behaviour towards all people outside Gryffindor. We do love Ginny and it surely wouldn't be a big problem to make her 'Ginny Potter', not at all. I'd be careful about what you do. 

You could loose your only daughter if you continue to treat her like this. I just cannot fathom that someone could hate their own child over something stupid as houses at Hogwarts. That is totally stupid and surely not becoming of a supposedly old and proud wizard-family. 

Perhaps you should consider this. But we for one would be more than happy to call her **our** sister.

Carya and Harry Potter'

Once Molly and Arthur had finished reading this they were both very pale and Molly had tears streaming down her face. They were shocked to actually being told how they treated Ginny. But they had to admit that most of this was unfortunately true. 

They'd deserted their little daughter and caused her more pain than any parent ever should. To think that someone else loved their child more than they did was horrible and they felt guilty. But the worst part was that two twelve year old children had to accuse them of that before they realised what they were doing. 

Of course they'd just ignored Ginny but what her brothers were doing that was actually enough to make their parents truly angry. After Arthur had comforted his wife and they'd calmed down they decided to write Ginny a letter. 

To apologise to her and tell her how stupid they'd been. That they still loved her and wouldn't want to loose her. That they were sorry for any grief they'd caused their little baby. The boys would get letters too. 

They had halfway expected such a behaviour from Ron and perhaps even the twins but Percy too? That was unacceptable. Arthur could hardly prevent Molly from sending them howlers. He only won because he told his wife that they hadn't acted any better than the boys. 

They also send the twins a reply and thanked them for making them see the truth. They didn't even bother on commenting how rude their letter actually was. The Weasley's soon got Ginny's reply. It was a small slip of parchment and the ink was smeared - obviously from tears. 

But the short message which was only one sentence made up for everything. It read:

**__**

'Mum, Dad,

I love you too.

Ginny'

They decided that Ginny would get an extra large christmas package this time and the twins would receive a little present too, that was for sure. When Bill and Charlie visited the Burrow a week before christmas they were told about the letter incident and they wrote their sister too. 

Bill apologised and told her that he would make it up to her the next time they saw each other. Charlie who hadn't really known in the first place told his sister that he was okay with her being a Slytherin. 

He actually found it quite funny that their little baby-sister seemed to be that ambitious. He'd always thought that if anyone was it, it would be Percy.

End Flashback - The Letter at the Burrow 

The twins both got one of the famous Weasley pullovers. Harry's was emerald green with a silver snake on the left side and Carya's was just the same only that hers was a deep blue with a silver snake on it. 

They wore these under there casual robes. (Carya had given Ginny one of hers claiming it didn't fit her any more and she wouldn't take complaints from Ginny.) Carya wore dark green while Harry's was a bit lighter and Ginny had a deep blue robe.

They even got something from Draco. Only small things this time but still a christmas present. He obviously hadn't truly forgotten his friends. But the twins figured it must've been difficult for him to send the presents. 

Perhaps he'd ordered them via Owl Express since the friends didn't recognise the owls. Ginny got a book about advanced charms. Hermione got something too, the new edition of '_Hogwarts a History_', it was called '_Hogwarts: A History - Extended Version' by Frederick French_. 

Harry got _'A Seeker's Guide to Quidditch' by Marcus Monroe_ and Carya now had the addition that had just been published to one of her books _'Advanced Potions and their Various Uses - Addition' by Severus Snape. _She took the book down to breakfast and started reading it.

The funniest thing at breakfast were the teachers. Dumbledore had made them wear coloured robes for the whole day. Black was not an option. Snape of course went against that order and so the twins, Hermione and Ginny pranked him. 

Severus Snape was suddenly sitting at the table with Slytherin green robes which had a silver serpent in the shape of an '_S_' embroided on the left side. He instantly knew who'd done this because the other students either wouldn't have the guts to do something like that to him or they just didn't have the knowledge. 

He also knew that it must have been a student because the other Professors would have given him something blue, or most likely red or rainbow coloured just to annoy him. He soon had a fairly good idea who the culprits were. Some of his Slytherin's must've done that. 

The remaining Gryffindor's were too young and the only ones he could think of who had the needed knowledge for such a _'prank'_ were the twins and their friends. But he had to admit that the robe was definitely beautiful and that it looked good. He would keep it. Not that he would ever tell anyone ...

Severus Snape's POV 

'Hmm, this robe is really eh ... nice ... I think I'll keep it. I bet that were some of the students. Albus would've made them in rainbow colours, I'm sure. But who? It can't be a Gryffindor, they're too young and the Weasleys are gone. 

Wait, ... Weasley? Of course, the Potter twins, the Weasley girl and that Ravenclaw Granger. Hmmpff, yes definitely them, they are still throwing glances this way. How obvious!' Snape mused.

The most curious thing for him right now was the book that Carya read. He had almost missed it. The girl was reading **_his_** book the one that had been published only two weeks ago. Snape didn't know what to think of that but she seemed to like it because she hardly noticed her friends talking to her. 

Although he couldn't explain why he felt oddly pleased that one of the students had a copy of that book. 

'I wonder if she has the first part too. Strange, of all my students I had never thought the a Potter would have a copy of one of my books. Well, at least I know she'll understand some of it. I really hate to admit that, even only to myself, but that girl is really adept to potions. 

Unlike her parents. Potter sucked at that and Lily, well she was hardly average level but still fairly good. ... What's that?? Who is sending christmas mail this late?' he thought as the owl flew over to the teachers.

End Severus Snape's POV 

There were only a few students staying for christmas and so they all sat at one table. Suddenly an unknown owl came flying into the great hall. She landed in front of the headmaster and had quite a huge package for him. 

Dumbledore untied the package and noticed that wrapping. It was plain black with hundreds of tiny Hogwarts crests all over it. He proceeded to open it and to every teachers horror it revealed an extra large four and a half pound tin of lemon drops. 

Of course no one except him and Snape noticed the slight snickering of the four friends. They were too busy gaping at that strange present. The young animagi had fun outside in the snow when Minister Fudge arrived. 

The other remaining students and most of the teachers were standing outside too. Most of the children were happily engrossed in a large snowball fight. When Fudge spotted Carya his face went deep pink and Carya instantly looked as if she wanted to kill someone or better Fudge himself. 

Fudge unconsciously made a step backwards. Snape noticed that immediately and was curious as to why the Minister of Magic was scared of a twelve and a half year old girl. He then spotted the two Junior Aurors who were accompanying him. 

Professor Snape caught the Potter girl smirking at them and what did those two do? They cringed as if they'd had an unpleasant run in with her. Harry, Ginny and Hermione snickered at this which also didn't go unnoticed by Snape. 

He had thought it odd how the four kids behaved all year long. He knew that they were often out of their dorms after curfew but they never got caught. Even he hadn't managed to catch them. Something just wasn't right here. 

And it definitely wasn't normal that two junior aurors **_and_** the Minister of Magic, although he really was incompetent, were afraid of some twelve year old children. And why were the Potter twins so damned calm about the Black-Issue? 

That madman was most likely after them. But they didn't seem to care in the least. It might have helped that Black had attacked the Gryffindor guardian instead of the Slytherin one. He wondered if the twins knew about Black being their godfather. 

He didn't believe that Dumbledore had told them either. Little did he know that Sirius was within sight right now. And little did he know that Carya, Harry and Sirius were corresponding via owl quite regularly. 

The Minister would stay at the castle over dinner and it was quite funny to watch him during that time. He was turning different shades of pink whenever one of his Slytherin's smirked at him and he noticed.

Please Read AND Review.

Thx ,

Carya

Review responses at the beginning of next chapter!


	11. Chapter 11 Revenge and Accidents

Disclaimer: The usual. Look into previous chapters to see what's up. 

Author's Notes: Yeah, I finally got myself to write the next chapter and with a bit of luck the next one won't take me so long. I've had a very busy month in my RL and therefore very little time to actually concentrate on fanfictions. Sorry for the delay but I'll again say that this will definitely be finished. No arguing about that. 

2004-02-08

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Review Responses: 

A.J.D'Angelo: Thank you. I hope you do enjoy the following chapters just as much

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Athenakitty: Yep all that happened. The explanation will come in this or the next chapter. Ginny and Carya are very good with charms after all ... 

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Shadow Adams: Already liked what I had in store for the imbecilic fool of a minister, have you? Well I have planned far more for him in the future ... evilgrin Can't wait for your own next chapter you know? Great work that story 

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BF110C4: You really have a point there. I hadn't looked at it from that point of view before but it makes sense. Well I just needed the kids to be older in CoS so tada I simply swapped the books.

I'll try but it is difficult for me since I have never truly tried to write anything before this series. Only half-hearted attempts that were stopped somewhere in the beginning. I plan on revising the whole thing should I find the time. Perhaps I can add more then. Thanks for reviewing! 

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RavenPotterBlack: Well, thanks for the praise. Here you are 

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Chapter 11 - Revenge and Accidents or Fun in Slytherin Green

'What the hell is going on here. I always knew that the Potters were a bit odd but this? Fudge is obviously terrified. And why do those four always smirk and snicker whenever he dares to look into their direction. 

I could understand that if it were only my Slytherin's but the Granger girl is into that too. She's a Ravenclaw, for Merlin sake! Wait, didn't Albus tell me before the beginning of the year that these four were staying at the '_Leaky Cauldron_' when they'd frantically searched for the Potter twins? 

Something must've happened there. I should ask the headmaster about that. He might know more,' Snape thought and continued watching the others. 

He really did enjoy the squirming Minister and whatever the children had done, he somehow had to thank them once he found out what exactly had happened. He'd never liked Fudge because he believed that man to be an incompetent fool. 

He decided to ask the headmaster after dinner. Snape was really curious about what might have happened at the '_Leaky Cauldron_' to reduce the minister to a terrified mass of a human in front of the Potters and their friends.

The whole day passed in a blur. The children were outside most of the time but in the late afternoon four of them went back inside to meet in the library. It was the regular meeting spot for Harry, Hermione, Carya and Ginny. If you want to find one of them - go and check the library. 

The kids were still discussing their presents. But their main topic was Draco. They couldn't understand what was wrong. Carya told the others her theory again and it was the most likely explanation but they still didn't like it one bit.

They would have to wait for him to come around. And they would just do that. Draco was their friend and giving him up wasn't even worth considering.

"I can't believe it. He ignored us the whole year and he still sends us presents. Perhaps he's just returning the favour, what do you think?" asked Hermione.

"I don't think it's that simple, Hermione. I believe he still likes us. But what I don't understand is why he doesn't tell us," Ginny said sadly.

"Eh, do you ever listen when I tell you something? Remember the day when I practically forced him to talk to me? He is afraid that his father might hurt him or one of us seriously if he doesn't obey him. Draco is not only scared for him self but for **_us_**!" Carya told them.

"Carya's right. As far as we know, Mister Malfoy has been a supporter of Voldemort ... Merlin, Ginny, Hermione, stop cringing every time I say his name ... anyway. If that's true then it's only natural that Malfoy would forbid his son to befriend us. Do you know why?" Harry continued.

"I'm a Muggleborn..., and Ginny's father is one of the main reasons for the _'Muggle Protection Act'_, and you two defeated _You-Kn_ ...," Hermione started but a glare from Carya made her change the next word after a sigh, "Okay, okay, after all you two defeated _'Voldie'_ so it's only natural," she said.

"If I ever get you two to hear his name without flinching unconsciously I'll ask Snape about the potion I don't understand," Carya sighed irritated and shook her head. 

Neither of the other girls thought it possible but something like that would happen sooner than they would ever be able to imagine.

"So we'll just wait for Draco to make his decision? I mean, I'm okay with that but I wished we could do something to help him," Ginny said.

"We can Ginny. By staying his friends without anyone noticing. He will know, that's for sure. Only negative point is that we can't tell him our secrets," Harry remarked and the resumed talking about pranks and presents until it was dinner time.

Dinner was quite enjoyable too. They had much fun and even the teachers opened up a bit, well all of them but Snape. He was his usual miserable self and kept scowling at everyone and everything. The others didn't mind thought since he was always like that.

The friends were talking to each other and kept throwing mischievous smirks into Fudge's direction. At some points even a suppressed laugh could be heard from their direction. All the teachers found this odd but dismissed it as the kids just being in christmas spirit. 

Albus Dumbledore was slightly amused by this and Snape of course got even more curious because Fudge's face changed colour quite often. The most prominent one was a bright tomato red. Since the Weasley twins had went home this year there were no pranks interrupting dinner for once.

Soon everyone was stuffed and tired. The Minister quickly excused himself and all but fled from the Great Hall, followed by his two Aurors. The heads of houses sent their pupils to bed and then retired to their chambers, everyone except Severus Snape. After dinner he approached the headmaster.

"Albus, can I talk to you - in private?" he asked quietly.

The headmaster agreed and they walked towards Dumbledore's office. Snape once again snorted slightly at the headmasters choice of password - this time it was _'Liquorice Wands'_. But Dumbledore simply ignored that. 

Soon they were sitting in the headmasters office and as always Albus offered him a lemon drop. As usual Severus declined and got straight to the point. 

"Could you perhaps tell me why exactly the Minister of Magic and two Junior Aurors are terrified of a certain female Slytherin student? A second year at that?" he asked.

"You are talking about young Miss Potter, Severus?" he said and it wasn't really a question but more a statement.

"Who else? So, will you tell me what happened that they are so scared of a twelve year old girl?" Snape wanted to know.

Albus was smiling by now. He could feel that his young Potions Professor was really curious about this. Severus Snape's dislike for the current Minister of Magic was not really a secret. So he started to tell him as much as he knew about the whole incident. 

When he got to the bedroom incident with the Aurors Snape raised an eyebrow. He wondered why the two men hadn't reacted to being slapped but they'd only started their training back then so it was at least possible that they'd been too shocked to respond to the attack. 

He continued listening to the headmaster. As soon as he got to the point where Carya started yelling at the Minister and taunted him about being unable to catch Sirius Black he interrupted the old wizard.

"She did **_what_**? Well, that's unexpected. I assume she hit a nerve with that comment, didn't she? Worthy of a Slytherin and it seems that the girl has inherited Lily's temper," Snape said smirking.

"Yes indeed. She's very much like her mother, isn't she? I'm wondering how much they actually know about Sirius Black. The children normally have quite a habit of sneaking around, haven't they? 

But they don't seem very interested in the matter this time. What do you think Severus?" the headmaster asked his young colleague.

"I don't know. They either don't care about all that which is very unlikely knowing them or they know more than they're letting on. I doubt that Lupin has told them anything either. Even though I don't trust him, it's still a touchy topic for him as well. 

So I believe the children know something. They aren't ignorant enough to think that it is all a big joke and that they shouldn't be worried about their safety, not after that incident on Halloween," Severus told his friend. 

"But I really wished I had been at the '_Leaky Cauldron_' that day," he said with another smirk before leaving towards his own chambers.

Far to soon the christmas holidays were over. But the first morning after the students had returned was quite amusing. The Weasley boys had all turned up at breakfast with bright green hair. There was no way they could get rid of the colour. 

Nothing worked. Not potions, not colouring charms, not even disguising charms worked. And no one knew who'd done it. They'd been in their dorms after all. The whole Great Hall had broken out into laughter as soon as they'd spotted the Weasley boys. 

That was the first time they were on the receiving end of a prank like that and not one of the people present thought that they didn't deserve that - not even the teachers or the good natured Hufflepuff's. Even some Gryffindor's thought it was only right that the were in for it this time too.

Flashback - Gryffindor Common Room 

Ron had woken up late and was now hurrying down from his dorm towards the common room. His friend Lavender was already waiting when he arrived. She let out a shriek.

"Ron! What happened? ... Your hair ... it's ... it's **_green_**!" she stuttered.

"What?!? I'll kill Fred and George. This is too much. This was the last prank they played on me!" Ron yelled. 

He didn't get any further because he could already hear Percy yelling too.

"Fred, George get out here this instant. I demand you take this off immediately or I'll tell Professor McGonagall!" he bellowed.

With that he stepped into the common room and Ron stood gaping. Percy's hair was dyed in shades of Slytherin green, just like his own.

"Ron, stop staring. You don't look any better. ... The same colour? So they got you too?" Percy asked and Ron just nodded.

Two minute later there could be head someone yelling again. This time it were Fred and George.

"Who did this? Ron, Percy!" Fred started shouting in shock and anger.

"We know you are angry about the pranks we sometimes play on you but this isn't funny! It doesn't get out," George screamed irritated.

"What have you done? This is horrible!! I'm going to get you now, you hear me?!" Fred continued.

With that the twins stormed into the common room only to stop staring and being stared at in return. Here stood the four Weasley boys who currently attended Hogwarts. Gryffindor's, but with bight green hair, Slytherin green at that.

"It was the Slytherin's!" they suddenly said in unison.

"But what now. It doesn't get out. We've tried everything already. Decolouring potions, colour charms, even disguising charms. Nothing works," Fred told them what he and his twin had discovered.

"We don't have any other chance. We have to go to breakfast and ask Professor McGonagall what to do," Percy said.

"Oh no, I'm **_not_** going out here with Slytherin green hair, nope," said the youngest of the brothers.

"You will, Ronald Weasley. You'll definitely not skip classes or I'll write mother about it!" Percy threatened.

And so they grumpily went down to the Great Hall. Once they stepped inside everyone stop eating and chatting in favour of staring at the Weasleys. The silence lasted only a few seconds. It started with the Slytherin table and soon most of the students were laughing heavily.

Ron's skin colour now clashed horribly with his green hair. He had gone deep red.

End Flashback 

The boys sat down at Gryffindor table and glared at every single Slytherin who dared to look their way. To their utmost annoyance even most of the teachers had a hard time to hide their smiles. Only McGonagall looked indifferent. 

She tried to figure out who'd done it. She figured it must have been a Slytherin but none of them could've gotten into Gryffindor tower without her knowledge. She never got so far as to suspect Harry, Carya and Ginny. 

The woman glanced over at the Slytherin head of house and was shocked to see that Snape had a hard time to stop himself from smiling. That was something that had never happened before. Not when they both had been in the same room.

Minerva McGonagall's POV 

'Severus Snape smiling about a prank? Okay, it was done **_to_** Gryffindor and apparently has been done by one or more of **_his_** students but he's **_never_** smiled about something like that before. Must be because it's Fred and George Weasley. 

They sometimes go a bit far with their pranks and now it seems that someone finally got revenge...' I thought but it strangely made sense.

End Minerva McGonagall's POV 

Severus Snape seemed to know who'd done it. He could imagine it quite clearly. It certainly had happened the same way he had ended up with crimson hair for a week. James Potter had somehow talked his way into the Slytherin common room. 

He would bet that this was the exact method his suspects had used. But he wasn't going to punish them. In fact he enjoyed it far too much and thought it would do good to let the Weasley's, especially the twins, suffer a bit.

Severus Snape's POV 

'It does them good to get a bit of their own medicine. Annoying Weasley twits. Always making trouble. I'd bet that were the Potter twins, Miss Weasley and Miss Granger. James Potter's son would be able to sneak into Gryffindor Tower without a password. 

Just like his father did with the Slytherin Dungeon. I'm still wondering how they got into Slytherin with James Potter as their father. They must be the first Potters in Slytherin ever. But then, their mother always was nice to everyone, including Gryffindor and Slytherin.

If they are anything like their parents, then they are definitely more like Lily,' Snape mused, 'I only hope they don't end up in the Dark Arts though. That really would be disastrous!'

End Severus Snape's POV 

Although almost everyone had calmed down by now four Slytherin's had a hard time to do so too. Draco because he just hated the Weasley boys not only because they always annoyed him but because of Ginny. 

Not that Draco would ever admit it to anyone right now but he liked the young redhead very, very much. The other three with troubles were Harry, Carya and Ginny. The twins were happy that their little trick had worked and Ginny was happy that this time she had the last laugh. 

And if someone found out she didn't care. It was a very good feeling that she had gotten the second her brothers stepped through the doors to the Great Hall that morning. This wasn't simply about pranks. It was about revenge.

'I don't care if they ever find out. They've treated me horrible. It was my right to get them back for that. I'm glad Harry and Carya are with me. They are more like my siblings than my own brothers are. 

Perhaps I should write Mum about this all. I'm sure she'd understand now,' Ginny thought and remembered the night they had carried out the prank.

Flashback - New Years Eve 

The twins, Ginny and Hermione were currently standing outside the Gryffindor Common Room. Harry and Carya were talking to the Fat Lady - the guardian portrait of Gryffindor Tower. They were trying to talk their way into the common room and so far they were quite successful. 

The portrait was happy to tell them about their parents and was chatting non-stop. After almost thirty minutes, only interrupted through a short appearance of Filch - the children were hiding under the invisibility cloak and the portrait was helping too - the kids were granted entrance. 

They only had to promise not to do any lasting damage. Ginny and Hermione went for the second year boys dormitory while Harry chose Percy's room and Carya the Weasley twins dorm - the fourth year boys room. 

They had found a certain spell that would change their victims hair colour **_permanently_** until it grew out. Nothing else would work, no potions, no charms unless the caster himself spoke a counter. 

The colour spell was a variation of the one Sirius had told them in summer. Carya had altered it and together with Ginny made it flawless. They also used charms to determine who was sleeping in which bed or more exactly in which bed was a Weasley. 

It was a derivative of the one spell that Sirius had taught them at the beginning of summer. Carya had once again used her gift to alter the spell into the one they were about to use now. The basic spells were _'Invenio Praesentia insert name or object'_ and _'Coloris Solidus insert colour'_. 

The final incantations sounded like this: _'Coloris Solidus Crinis Viridis Slytherin'_ to turn their victims hair Slytherin Green. Although the hair part was added to the incantation last minute. And to find out which bed was occupied by a Weasley they used the second spell - _'Invenio Praesentia Weasley'_. 

The specific bed would start to glow in a faint white light for a few seconds. In the end they timed the colouring spell so that it would activate when the bed had been occupied for at least three hours and the person left it the next time. 

After completing their mission the children returned to their own common room and imagined how it would look like when the Weasleys got into the Great Hall on the first day after the holidays.

End Flashback - New Years Eve 

Neither of the three saw the almost thoughtful expression on Draco's face when they finally left the Great Hall for classes. He was once again thinking about his future. There was the fact that his father kept saying the Dark Lord would be back some day. 

That and the fact that his father scared him made Draco shiver involuntarily. 

Draco's POV 

'I certainly don't want to end up like my father. I don't want to be a Death Eater but if You-Know-Who really comes back that is exactly what father is expecting from me. There is nothing I can do about it, or is it? I can't really leave my parents, or can I? Would I have to go to an orphanage? 

Or would another family take my in? I somehow doubt it. This is hell, I don't know what to do anymore. I wonder if Dumbledore would help me. Should I go and talk to him? But father would surely find out and that would be as much as a death sentence for me.'

End Draco's POV 

The latter was unlikely. Draco had made sure that no one except the Death Eater children liked him. Well with three exception of course: Hermione, Harry, Carya and ... Ginny. He was still unsure of his decision when he reached the transfigurations classroom. 

But he would have to decide soon. That was for sure. The Slytherin's made their way towards their first class after christmas. Unfortunately it was Monday, that meant they had Double History of Magic first thing in the morning.

"Oh joy, History of Magic with _'Boring Binns'_," groaned Carya, "You know if they had a _'real'_ professor teaching it might not be that boring but a ghost? I just don't think that this is a good choice," she said.

"Perhaps it's because that way they don't have to worry about payment?" Harry joked and teased his sister.

Carya only rolled her eyes, shook her head and sighed miserably.

"Come on, Carya, you can either get some sleep during history or read in your new book, eh?" remarked Ginny smirking. 

She had noticed that the girl had spelled the cover of her new potions book. It would appear as a course book of the class they would have once she entered the classroom. This brought back Carya's smile.

"Brilliant idea Ginny! That way I get it done by tomorrow. Is anyone taking notes today or are we going to work on the topic later on?" asked the female Potter.

"No taking notes today. I have to catch up on sleep," replied Harry and yawned as if to prove his point.

"So no notes today? Eh, Carya, can you spell my book too? You still haven't taught me that one, you know?" said the youngest Weasley and held up a Charms book. 

Carya did it and the girls would read their books while everyone else more or less listened to Professor Binns incredibly boring History of Magic lesson. Even Hermione seemed pretty much absent today. For once she didn't listen at all. But their happy mood would not last long.

The kids were relieved once the double period was over. But their relief was short-lived - at least for the Slytherin's. They would have Potions now, with Gryffindor. Hermione was going to her Transfigurations class with the Hufflepuff's. She wasn't exactly thrilled either.

After that the Slytherin's and Ravenclaw's would have Defence against the Dark Arts together. So they had something to look forward to. Hermione's lesson was boring. Some stupid Hufflepuff had managed to hit a fellow Ravenclaw with a spell instead hitting the twig on the desk. 

Hermione had to bring the unfortunate victim to the infirmary to get the leaves removed. Potions with Gryffindor was hell for the twins and Ginny today.

Ron Weasley kept throwing puffer-fish eyes at them whenever Snape wasn't looking. The three friends had noticed the Professors miserable mood and knew better than to talk to him or try anything stupid like retaliation in his class today. But Ron just didn't stop.

Carya was for once working with her brother and Ginny was partnered with Draco. The twins cauldron already had a shield over it so no one could throw ingredients into it other than them but Ginny and Draco weren't so lucky.

It happened halfway through class and Ron managed to snip some puffer-fish eyes into their cauldron. This was the first time that the two had an exploding cauldron but that was nothing against an exploding Snape.

"What is going on here? Explain, immediately!" he yelled irritated.

The Gryffindor's laughed while Ginny and Draco were clutching various body parts because they'd been hit with the still boiling brew. The twins were already besides them to help. The remaining Slytherin's kept glaring and scowling at the Gryffindor's.

As a result of their laughing Snape took ten points from each Gryffindor student and sent Draco and Ginny to the infirmary. Pansy and Blaise were helping them. The lions had just lost one hundred points in one single lesson. That was a new negative record for Hogwarts.

"Stop this now! That's ten points from each of the Gryffindor's. Slytherin's, explanation, now!" he bellowed quite angry. 

No one dared at first in fear of losing points but finally Carya did. She had no problems with accusing a Gryffindor, especially not in a case like this. It was a very dangerous thing to sabotage potions like this if you didn't know what reaction you'd cause. 

So many things could go wrong. Any Slytherin knew that but the _'Gryffindorks'_ always seemed to forget it.

"Professor? Ron Weasley threw puffer-fish eyes into their cauldron and it exploded. And he wasn't provoked by anyone of us either, I might add!" she said calmly and ignored the confused stares from her fellow Slytherin's and scowls from Gryffindor's.

It was one thing to tell Snape when he demanded it from you personally but to face his wrath voluntarily? That was something new. The Potions Master looked at her with such intensity that everyone else started cringing but she didn't back down. It was the plain truth after all.

To everyone's surprise Snape didn't say anything and turned towards Ron. "That is another twenty points from Gryffindor and a week worth of detention for you Weasley. What are you all waiting for? Clean up and then **_get out_**. Class dismissed!" he shouted.

Please Read AND Review.

Thx ,

Carya

Review responses at the beginning of next chapter!


	12. Chapter 12 Emotional Overflow

Disclaimer: The usual. Look into previous chapters to see what's up. 

Author's Notes: New Chapter at last! And ... there's **_two_** !! more . 

Review Responses: Look in Chapter 14

****

Chapter 12 - Emotional Overflow or Never dare to insult our Parents

The students left the Potions classroom as quickly as possible. The twins noticed they still had fifteen minutes to spare before the had to go to Defence. So they hurried towards the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey told them that Ginny and Draco had to stay until dinner. 

She wanted to make sure that the failed potion didn't have any side effects.

"Shit, I was so looking forward to Defence today," Ginny sighed irritated. 

"It's okay Ginny, we'll tell you everything later. Guess what? Ron lost another twenty points and got a week of detention. The Gryffindorks lost one hundred and twenty points in Potions today. That's a new negative record!" Harry tried to soothe the girl. 

Draco didn't say anything. He had taken on the nurses offer to lie down a bit and appeared to be sleeping in one of the beds. The twins left and went to Defence meeting Hermione in the hallway.

"Hey, where's Ginny?" she asked.

"Infirmary. Want to know why?" Carya inquired and continued without waiting for Hermione's reply. 

"Ron threw something into her and Draco's cauldron. The cauldron exploded, Gryffindor lost hundred and twenty points and Weasley got a week of detention. Madam Pomfrey is keeping the two until dinner to make sure everything's okay."

"Oh my, how are they?" Hermione wanted to know.

"They seemed fine but Ginny's pissed. She'll miss Defence and that was the one thing we all were looking forward to today, weren't we?" Harry answered and the friends entered the classroom.

Defence was fairly interesting today and Ginny would be furious. The started working on the Darcorn, a dark unicorn. This was something she had waited for the whole year. The twins once again explained where Ginny and Draco were but this time it was Professor Lupin who asked.

"Miss Potter, Mister Potter, would you please stay a few minutes after class?" Lupin asked before everyone left the room. 

The twins nodded and told Hermione they'd meet her in the Great Hall. Remus closed the door to his office and asked the twins to sit down. 

"Are your two friends alright?" he asked gently.

"It seems so. Madam Pomfrey's just keeping them until dinner to be absolutely sure," Harry said.

"That's good to hear. You two are okay?" he wanted to know and they nodded, "I am aware that Miss Weasley was very interested in today's class. Carya would you please give her this book? I'll lend it to her. 

She had asked for it for quite some time but I didn't have it then. It might ease her disappointment a bit, don't you think?" he told them and Carya just grinned. 

She knew Ginny would just love the book and probably be finished with it before their next Defence lesson. The Potter kids went down to lunch, followed by their Professor. After lunch the three friends brought Ginny the book and she was pleased by that. Her Professor had remembered her interest. 

Sadly Harry, Hermione and Carya were ushered out of the infirmary by an overly strict Madam Pomfrey and spent the afternoon in the library. Meanwhile many Gryffindor's had noticed the lost points and asked question how that could happen on one morning.

When they were told that it had been the second years fault they got angry. Not even the Weasley twins had lost them so much point on a single day, let alone a single lesson. This was unacceptable. The whole second grade students were now ignored by the whole house.

This of course didn't go unnoticed by the Professors and the Gryffindor Head asked about the reason for the sudden loss of points. The Headmaster didn't seem too pleased either but explained nonetheless.

"As you might know, Minerva, they lost the points during Potions," he started and Professor McGonagall shot Snape a dark look,

"But although it might have been a bit much, it was a well deserved punishment on the most part. Mister Weasley threw an ingredient into Mister Malfoy's and Miss Weasley's cauldron that caused a severe explosion. 

Both students were hurt by the boiling brew and are currently in the infirmary. The worst is that all of your Gryffindor were laughing at the two Slytherin's, Minerva. This kind of behaviour cannot be tolerated as you well know," Dumbledore explained calmly and with a sad expression. 

The Gryffindor's had been quite violent this year and that worried him a great deal on top of the Black issue. The Gryffindor Head of House didn't comment the Headmasters statement but she would make sure that such an incident wouldn't happen again. 

It was one thing to play pranks like Fred and George Weasley but this was going too far. If even the headmaster said so much against Gryffindor then it had to be serious. She would write a letter to all second year parents but especially Mister and Mrs. Weasley. 

When dinner finally came around Ginny and Draco were back with their classmates. Hermione was once again sitting with her friends at the Slytherin table. There was no rule that would forbid this but it rarely happened and therefore was quite unusual. 

The Ravenclaw's still disapproved but didn't say anything. The Slytherin's simply ignored it now. The four friends were sitting at one end of the table. The twins next to each other and their friends opposite to them. No one bothered the kids. They all knew not to interfere with their friendship. 

Carya Potter had shown them more than one time what happened to those who dared to attempt such a thing. She wasn't violent or anything like that. Just a few well voiced threats or in case that didn't work some harmless but rather annoying hexes always worked. 

What worried the teachers was their disappearance on many evenings. It seemed that they couldn't locate them while they stayed in the _'Founders Chambers'_. Most Professors were still afraid that the twins would do something stupid because of the whole Sirius Black issue. 

But since the children always were back the next morning no one really tried to find out where they went those nights. This evening was no exception. They four students went to their secret meeting place and met in the library. 

They were still practising their animagus forms because they wanted to know the change by heart. They all wanted to be prepared just in case. Shortly after curfew they Hermione went back to Ravenclaw tower and Ginny, Harry and Carya were on their way down to Slytherin Dungeon. 

Luckily Harry had thought of bringing his invisibility cloak or else they surely would've gotten caught by Professor Snape. He had kept his office door open this time while grading essays. The three kids passed the entrance almost unnoticed. 

Although the Professor was sure to have heard something he didn't see anyone and went back to work. He had a slight suspicion that there were three certain Slytherin's who were outside their Common Room quite often after curfew but he'd never been able to catch them. 

Once they were safe behind Slytherin's portrait they immediately retired to bed. The twins didn't get that much sleep this night. Their old nightmares plagued them and especially Carya was extremely grouchy the next morning. 

Harry didn't feel better either but he wasn't as ill-tempered as his sister after he had a bad night. Breakfast thankfully was rather quiet and Carya calmed down a bit but it was only a matter of time before someone got in her way. It was always the same. Even at home it had happened sometimes. 

Aunt Petunia of course had understood her nightmares. When she'd found out her sister was a witch she did have some petty nightmares too. The only difference between those dreams was that Carya's actually were memories and Petunia's were just that - dreams. 

Dreams created in her troubled mind out of ignorance, fear of the unknown and sometimes extreme jealousy since Lily had been the one who got all attention after that acceptance letter had arrived one summer morning. 

But she never bothered her niece after such a night and their old Muggle teachers didn't do that either. Charms was okay. They learned an advanced version of the floating spell and Carya as well as many others managed it on the first try. 

Transfiguration turned out to be boring to no end. Professor McGonagall had started the reviews for the upcoming exams. She'd told them to go over their notes and write down any questions they might have left. 

They only people who asked questions were, of course, the Gryffindor's. Not one Slytherin did, even if they weren't that good in this subject. They'd just ask an older student of their house later on if anything was a problem. 

After this double period Carya was beyond pissed. She was bored and in a bad mood too. Professor McGonagall had again given points to Gryffindor and none to Slytherin for the same work. That angered the girl quite a bit since it was meant as revenge on Snape.

Her friends already waited for the final explosion but so far everything was still alright. Their next class was Herbology and Professor Sprout made them work in pairs of four. That meant they needed a fourth person for their group. Unfortunately they had this class together with the Gryffindor's. 

Two of the Slytherin's would've to work with two of their house rivals because each house had only ten students in this year. But it didn't even go that well. This time they were paired up by the Professor herself. There were quite odd pairs. 

Harry was with Draco, Neville Longbottom and Pamela Wright. The worst was the group of Carya and Ginny. They got paired with Lavender Brown and Ron Weasley. A very unlucky combination even under normal circumstances but this morning it was simply worse. 

Ron was still angry with Ginny and Ginny only glared and scowled at him. Lavender made faces at Ginny and Carya. At first nothing spectacular happened and although Carya did all the work it was quiet.

But then Ron started mumbling about _'slimy Slytherin's'_, _'traitors'_ and when Lavender even spoke of being _'a disgrace to all wizards',_ the Potter girl finally exploded. She had enough of her classmates behaviour.

"Who do you think you are? You're nothing better than we are. You Gryffindor's are mostly too stupid for your own good. Even the Hufflepuff's get better grades than you. The only thing **_you_** can think of is hurting others, even your own **_family_**! 

If anyone is a disgrace to wizard kind then you two are the prime examples," she yelled at them.

Ron noticed that he had gone a bit too far this time but Lavender only made it worse. And her best friend couldn't stop her in time. 

"Look who's talking! The _'Queen of all Traitors'_ herself. Everyone keeps telling how wonderful light wizards your parents were but I think they were just as bad as you! You know what I think? _'You-know-who'_ only disposed of them because they wanted his position," she teased sneering.

Lavender never noticed the point when the Potter girl had stopped shaking and stood totally still. Carya's reply was spoken in a deathly calm voice. Her facial expression rivalled Snape's when he was in his worst mood. 

"How dare you talk like that about my parents. I will not tolerate the violation of their memory. Insulting the dead who can not defend themselves, really courageous, Brown. 

You should know better than to even _think_ that my parents were in one league with _Voldemort_," she said and all students except Lavender backed away. 

They had only seen the girl like this one time and that hadn't been this serious. But Lavender was still ignorant of everything. Not even Ron's pleas reached her now or the unsuccessful tries of Professor Sprout. Not even Harry was able to reach his sister. She had blocked him out.

Two windows already had cracks from the raw power which Carya emitted just now. And when Lavender snorted sarcastically in return to Carya's warning the girl had enough. The curse was barely audible but Lavender shrieked when it hit her. 

The spell itself was already bordering to the Dark Arts but it was perfectly legal and every Slytherin second year knew it. It wasn't really that offensive but it let your victim feel the same pain that you felt at the time you cast the spell. 

That is why it was still legal. It was the most harmless pain curse one could know. The cracked windows broke when the young Gryffindor girl started screaming and a very furious Carya Potter ran out of the greenhouse only followed by her brother and her best friend Ginny.

Professor Sprout said the counter curse as soon as she got over her shock but the three Slytherin's were already gone and couldn't be found until dinner. Carya still refused to go to the Great Hall because she knew that she might curse Lavender again if she so much as caught sight of her. 

So she wisely stayed in her dormitory and Ginny with her. Harry went to dinner alone and met with Hermione who by then had heard the wildest rumours about that incident. No one but Ron, Lavender, Ginny and Carya knew what exactly had happened in greenhouse three.

Everyone else was scared. The rumours went from physical attack to Unforgivable Curses. Harry got a note to meet with Professor Snape after dinner and he got up as soon as the professor left the Hall.

"We are going to my office Mister Potter. The Headmaster will join us soon," the Potions Master said and walked away.

Once they were sitting in Snape's office the teacher asked about the incident and the whereabouts of his sister.

"Explain, Mister Potter, what you know about that incident and the whereabouts of your twin!" he told Harry.

"I don't know about everything that happened in the greenhouse but from what was said I think Brown insulted our parents pretty bad by indicating that they most likely had been Death Eaters and ... and only got killed because they were Voldemort's rivals for power..." Harry said, barely able to suppress his own anger about that ridiculous suggestion, 

"My sister is currently in her dorm with Ginny Weasley. She said that if she saw Brown she might curse her again and thought it wiser to stay away from everyone until she has calmed down," he continued.

At that moment the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall walked into Snape's office. Harry was sent to fetch the two girls since they were directly involved and five minutes later they were standing in their Professors office. 

Harry kept looking at his twin while Ginny looked very uncomfortable and Carya stared at the floor with an unreadable stony expression clouding her features.

"Miss Weasley, Miss Potter, would you care to explain what exactly happened in your Herbology class," McGonagall demanded in a sharp tone.

Carya didn't answer but her body started shaking slightly. No one knew if it was of fury, shame or something else, so Ginny started.

"Eh, it all began with the pairings Professor Sprout assigned. As you might know we aren't on the best terms with my, eh ... brother and his friends. At first everything was alright and Carya did most of the work while ... while Ron and I, well we just glared and scowled at each other, I'd say. 

Then Ron started mumbling about _'slimy Slytherin's'_ that we are _'traitors'_ and Lavender Brown called us a _'disgrace to all wizards'._ That was when Carya exploded. She yelled at them about not being any better than us. 

She pointed out one of the wound points the Gryffindor's have right now - the fact that even most Hufflepuff's do better in classes than they and that people who, eh ... treat their family like shit because of houses rather should be called all that," Ginny said and glanced up for a second.

The teachers looked slightly shocked, Harry now stood closer to Carya than before and she was trembling a bit more. The Weasley girl continued with her explanation.

"I think the following part is responsible for what happened next. Lavender, she called Carya the _'Queen of all Traitors'_ and then ... then she said that the Potters weren't as everyone is telling us. 

She hinted that they probably got killed because they were _You-Know-Who's_ rivals for power ..." at that point Ginny stopped not only because of the gasps from their teachers but the choking sound from behind them. 

Carya had a very hard time to suppress whatever she felt right now. Her face was a bit red by now but her expression still unreadable. Harry stood so close to her that one would think they were the same person.

"Excuse me Miss Weasley but did you just say what I think you said? Did I hear you right?" Professor McGonagall asked wide eyed.

"Yes, Professor, unfortunately you did. Lavender Brown did say all that" she replied and added with a glance to Snape, "Even under any kind of truth serum or spell I would just tell the same. That was the point where **_every_** student but Lavender backed away, even Ron did. 

When, eh, ... when Carya is angry and suddenly is all quiet and seems totally calm, well, it's the proverbial calm before the storm, professor," she said and waited for a sign to continue. 

Snape nodded slightly into her direction.

"Carya then said that Lavender should know better than to insult her parents memory and that no one should dare to say that they were in one League with the Dark Lord. And ... when Lavender, when she just snorted at that it was too late ... 

I think you know the rest, Professors," Ginny ended her explanation in a very quiet voice.

Meanwhile between the twins 

While Ginny told their teachers the whole story Harry desperately tried to calm down his twin. 

__

/Carya, are you okay? What's wrong?/ he wanted to know.

__

/I ... Harry, I ... what if they want to know **everything**? I cannot tell them about the nightmares, can I? And the thing with the Dementor? They'll think we are weak. I can't let that happen. And I might start crying when I have to tell them.

I ... I just can't do that. Slytherin'_s don't cry, I don't cry! Especially not in company, well ... you are an exception but ... you're my twin .../_ she muttered frantically.

__

/ I'm afraid you **have** to tell them. Otherwise they would surely punish you severely for cursing a fellow student. Even if it was not right what she said to you about Mum and Dad. We both know it was only lies. They could **expel** you if you don't tell, please Carya .../ Harry pleaded.

__

/O ... okay, I'll tell ... if I have to. But please, please stay near me, would you?/ she told her brother sounding very scared.

End Meanwhile between the twins 

"Miss Potter," the Headmaster began and Carya looked up with fear and pain clearly visible in her eyes. 

The first show of emotion was also visible on her face now. She seemed slightly anxious, scared even, an emotion which they'd never seen with her. 

"Would you care to explain what lead to that _'display of temper'_?" Dumbledore continued softly since he too was shocked to see her afraid of something.

Carya nodded barely noticeable and started telling what she dreaded the most. 

"Ginny told the truth. I ... got angry when Brown and, eh ... Lavender and Ron started to insult the Slytherin's. And when she started to say those ... those things about Harry's and my parents I just ... I couldn't help myself then. 

Of course it wasn't right, I know that but ..." she stopped and swallowed hard. 

The teachers now knew that there was more to it than petty insults. Carya Potter never was this nervous or afraid. The girl continued and she continued staring at the edge of Snape's desk to avoid having to look at anyone right now.

"If she'd just ... just insulted me or Harry, I don't think I would've reacted that way. It's just ... it's ... since we were very little we kept having the same nightmares. At first we didn't know what they meant but when we were told about Mum and Dad, ... we knew what they were. ... 

It always ended in a flash of green light, you know? Co ... contrary to popular belief we do remember the night of ... of Halloween 1981...," she stuttered before swallowing again.

Her trembling increased rapidly now. The Professors were quite shocked. No one had thought that they might remember what had happened when their parents died but apparently they were all wrong. They knew that there was more, too. 

The girls hesitation was clearly noticeable now. She looked almost scared of something. Harry squeezed her shoulder reassuringly and she continued her part of the story. 

"... I ... think you know a bit of ... of what happened on the train, don't you? Professor Lupin sent a letter. ... When we are near the Dementors ... we can hear them ... our parents fighting against Voldemort and ... dying fighting ..." Carya said and by now tears were running down her cheeks. 

"And when Lavender ... when she said that our parents ... that they were or had been Voldemort's ... allies at one point ... I ... I couldn't ..." the girl stuttered and then broke down in tears.

Harry instantly was by her side and took her into his arms. His eyes were full of tears as well but he didn't really start crying. This time he had to be strong for his sister. Professor Snape knew what he had to do. 

He went over to his private storage cupboard and brought a strong calming potion back. He gave Harry the small vial and told him to give Carya the potion. Between two sobs Harry managed to make her drink it. A few minutes later her sobbing ceased and she calmed down a bit. 

McGonagall was looking miserable. Although these were no excuses for cursing a fellow student, they were understandable reasons. Dumbledore looked thoughtful and Snape as always was unreadable. Harry still held his sister and added a part to the explanation.

"Eh, it might have been an additional problem that we ... had one of those nightmares last night. And although we know how it ends it is horrible every time it happens. ... She had already been quite edgy all day and well, ... it might possibly have triggered everything," he said.

"Miss Potter, I understand why you did what you did but that is no excuse. You will serve detention with Mister Filch next weekend," the headmaster said and Carya nodded numbly. 

She was still in Harry's arms when the girl added softly, almost inaudible," I'm sorry ..."

"What for child? For cursing Miss Brown?" asked Dumbledore.

"That too, but ... mostly for being so weak ..." she added not looking up.

This surprised the three teachers. The girl thought she was weak but they didn't understand why.

"Carya, why do you think you're weak?" Snape asked softly. 

Minerva McGonagall was really shocked now. She'd seen it only once that Severus Snape had been almost gentle towards a student. But then again ... he had already surprised her a few times this year.

"For ... for not having control over myself, for being afraid, for breaking down like ... like this ..." the girl told them and it was clear that although the potion had calmed her down her inner turmoil was as great as before.

They didn't have a reply for that. A few minutes nobody said a word and you could only hear their breathing. Harry continued to stroke his sisters back and telepathically tell her that everything was alright now.

The Professors finally decided that the kids should go to bed now because it already was rather late. Dumbledore asked Snape for a Dreamless Sleep Potion for the Potter girl but before Snape could say something she spoke.

"No, thank you, professor. I'll ... I'll have to deal with this sooner or later. ... And the earlier I do it, the sooner I can go on. I only hope ... that I can keep myself in check in the future. ... Good night, Professors," Carya said and the three Slytherin's left towards their Common Room.

By the time they arrived there Carya had collected herself and with ignoring everyone's stares and whispers they straight went to bed. The teachers didn't go to sleep immediately. They thought about the twins revelations. Those two had tried everything to keep that a secret.

But the were only twelve years old. At that age they were bound to slip one time. The thing that worried them more than the fact that Carya had cursed Lavender Brown had been the raw power they had felt when it happened. 

It had been noticeable all over the castle. They only hoped that the Potters would stay on the path of light. Such raw power could be used as a terrible weapon when used for the dark side. Severus worried about the same things but he was also worried about the girl as his student.

She had always appeared to be strong and it had seemed that nothing could throw her off balance but now ... Snape suspected that most of it was a mask created to protect herself against others.

Please Read AND Review.

Thx ,

Carya

Review responses at the beginning of next chapter!


	13. Chapter 13 Apology and Detention

Disclaimer: The usual. Look into previous chapters to see what's up. 

Author's Notes: Yeah, I finally got myself to write the next chapter and with a bit of luck the next one won't take me so long. I've had a very busy month in my RL and therefore very little time to actually concentrate on fanfictions. Sorry for the delay but I'll again say that this (and the following books too) will definitely be finished. No arguing about that. 

Anyone ever liked detention? No? I know someone who does ... evilgrin

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Review Responses: Look in Chapter 14

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Chapter 13 - Apology and Detention or Damned Cat and Brewing Potions

The next day at breakfast Carya did something that brought her respect not only from most students but also from her teachers. She did something that no one would've done voluntarily, let alone a Slytherin.

Everyone had just sat down for breakfast but Carya remained standing. Almost all students were there now. Once the others noticed everyone fell silent. Carya looked at the Gryffindor table whose occupants glared at her. She just ignored the stares.

"I want to apologise to Lavender Brown for cursing her in Herbology yesterday," she said calmly but sincere sounding, nodded towards Lavender, sat down and started breakfast. What was left unsaid was the fact that Carya still thought Lavender had deserved what she'd gotten.

Miss Brown just sat there dumbfounded and no one spoke a word for a few minutes. Some wondered what that was about, others thought Carya was lying but most of the people present thought it was a very brave gesture. 

After all the headmaster hadn't done the same thing as he did with Ron and the members of the reserve Quidditch team when they'd pranked Harry. Carya could've just apologised in private or not at all and while Dumbledore had hoped on the former he was genuinely surprised by this. 

Despite what he had heard the last evening he still thought that the Potters were quite true Slytherin's and Slytherin's rarely to never apologised for anything. Let alone in public. Doing this showed the adults that she still had a strong character underneath her icy exterior. 

It wasn't weakness to do it in front of everyone. It was strength. More than many of them possessed. The students outside Gryffindor forgave her because not one of them would've dared to apologise voluntarily in front of the whole school.

The Gryffindor's didn't forgive her right away but started thinking about the story Lavender had told them. Some realised that she had probably made up things to make her the victim of a dark and cruel Carya Potter. But that didn't meant that they liked the Slytherin girl either.

After finishing their breakfast the three Slytherin friends left the Great Hall and headed towards the dungeons. The had Double Potions that morning. Professor Snape was his usual nasty self and let them make a healing potion. 

He assigned the same pairs as he had in their last lesson and this time no one interrupted. Shortly before the end of class the Professor told Carya to stay behind. She sent Harry ahead to tell Professor Flitwick that she might be a bit late.

"Miss Potter, please stay behind after class," Snape said.

__

/Harry, you should go ahead. Tell Flitwick I'll be most likely a bit late because Snape wanted something, okay?/ she asked her brother.

__

/Alright but are you sure?/ he wanted to know and went when his sister nodded.

"That was a very clever thing you did at breakfast, Miss Potter," Snape told her in a calculating tone.

"Sir? It wasn't clever, it was the right thing to do, ... this time. But if she makes the same mistake again I'll slap her really hard and **_don't_** apologise," Carya said calmly, "Was there something you wanted from me, Professor?" 

"Yes, you'll have detention on Saturday with Mister Filch at three p.m. And on Sunday you'll serve detention with me. You'll meet me down here at seven a.m., ... don't be late! I'll decide then what you're going to do. Dismissed," he told her in his usual classroom voice.

"Understood, sir!" Carya replied quickly and left before he could say anything else.

Professor Flitwick didn't say anything when she was late and that day passed without any major problems. Most people had calmed down by now and the rumours were ceasing to spread too. The next day passed in a blur. 

Since the weekend was out for studying in the evening the friends did that on Thursday afternoon. As always their work was split up between them to get it done faster. One would write the essay and the others would then use it as reference for their own. 

In the evening they continued their animagus practise. Shortly after waking up the next morning Harry realised with a start that it was already Friday. Only three classes that day and the first period was free too. Defence class was first. It was as interesting as always. 

Not that most Slytherin's would admit it but they too were impressed by Professor Lupin's skill compared to their last teacher, Professor Quirrell, who was thought of as a fraud but turned out to be a follower of the Dark Lord. Today they were studying grindylows. Their skin was ashen gray.

They were horned water demons and lived in lakes all over Britain and Ireland. They learned that they lived on small fishes and that they attacked wizards and muggles alike. They also heard that while a grindylow had strong hands you could easily break it's grip if you only knew how.

They'd already covered boggarts, red caps, kappas, imps and werewolves (thanks to Snape) that year and now added another creature to their list. Their next class was History of Magic but they weren't really paying attention because Professor Binns was the most boring teacher one could find. 

They'd again noted the days topic and would research it later on when they did their homework for this class. The kids had found out that such a behaviour was far more productive then falling asleep in Binns class and knowing nothing afterwards. So they always did something else in History classes.

For them it was only important that they had the knowledge about his topics in their heads when the exams were due. Their last class on Friday was Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall was as strict as always and only awarded points if the work really was perfect. 

They were still revising the topics from the beginning of last term and the twins were quite bored but paid attention nonetheless. After this class the three friends met up with Hermione in the Hogwarts library to do the remaining homework. 

They were just finished when it was time for dinner. The rumours had completely stopped by now and Harry, Ginny and Carya had a relaxed meal. This year they were the lucky ones - no classes on Saturday. Almost every Slytherin slept in for once. 

After lunch Carya got ready to meet with Mister Filch for her detention. Harry and her friends wished her good luck because with Filch you never knew what would happen during detention. She met Filch and his cat in the entrance hall - together with Lavender.

'Bloody wonderful. Now I have to put up with her even in detention,' Carya thought.

"You two will scrub the floor in the entrance hall. Without magic! I will come back in two hours," Mister Filch said gruffly and showed them the buckets and brushes they'd have to use for this after confiscating their wands.

Lavender gave hers rather hesitant while Carya knew he wouldn't do anything to or with her wand. The Hogwarts caretaker might be a bitter squib but he was not stupid. Tempering with a students wand would cost him his job. Lavender looked as if she'd rather die than clean the floor by hand.

Carya didn't like this either but Aunt Petunia thankfully had shown her once how to do this properly without getting too many aches and loosing too much time or getting too dirty yourself. The two girls started and they were lucky that the weather was dry. 

This way the students didn't bring in too much mud when they went to the Great Hall or their respective Common Rooms. An hour later Lavender was already groaning and moaning how horrible she felt and that she couldn't do this any more.

Carya ignored her. Her back started to feel like on fire too since she wasn't used to this but _'her'_ side was already half cleaned. Lavender didn't have even one third finished. The next moment Mrs. Norris came traipsing through the main doors. 

She was soaking wet and dirt clung to her fur. The cat had nothing better to do than running directly through Lavenders part of the hall. The Gryffindor girl threw a sponge after her and three minutes later an angry Filch appeared near them. 

A still wet and dirty cat trailing behind him. She was miaowing miserably. A patch of fur on her side was flattened like something had hit her - Lavender's brush was still missing.

"You, how dare you throw things after my precious. I bet it was you who tried to drown her, wasn't it? I'll report this and you'll get another detention," he howled and yelled at Lavender. Carya only continued scrubbing the floor while Lavender got another detention with Filch. 

The Gryffindor was fuming now but she knew that the other girl wouldn't have said anything even if that Herbology class had never happened. What neither Filch nor anyone knew was that Mrs. Norris had made friends with four certain animagi. 

She had recognised them in their human form too and never got them into trouble now. Thirty minutes later Professor McGonagall came down the stairs. She took a quick look over the room and saw that Carya was really working while Lavender's mouth did more work than her hands. 

She watched the two girls for a few minutes. They were doing this the Muggle way. Mister Filch had confiscated their wands. She knew that because she had them now. The caretaker had given them to her and was currently in his rooms tending to his cat. 

Because of that it was simply not possible for Carya Potter to have done this by magic.

"Miss Brown, I would advise you to try as much as Miss Potter. She has already cleaned one half of the side she's working on but you ..." the Professor didn't continue.

"But Professor, I'm not used to this ... "Lavender whined.

"Me neither ... but at least I know how to and actually try," mumbled Carya quietly but the Professor and the other girl had heard her nonetheless.

"Care to explain Miss Potter?" McGonagall inquired.

"I've never done this either but my Aunt has explained to me how to do this properly and with most effect, so ..." she trailed of, shrugged and got back to work.

The Head of Gryffindor stood watching a bit more and then said that Carya could go.

"Your detention is over, Miss Potter. You may go back to your Common Room now," she told her and handed out the wand. 

Carya fled as soon as possible. Lavender wasn't that lucky. Her detention was stopped too but McGonagall had a little talk about responsibilities with the girl in her office. Three heads shot up as something burst into the Library. 

Harry, Hermione and Ginny were startled when someone sat down beside them. It was Carya. She told them about the detention and as soon as Mrs. Norris - or Norri as the four called her - made her appearance they burst into laughter.

The friends left the books behind and went outside. It was a cold but clear day and they wanted to have a small snowball fight before Harry had to go to Quidditch training. At dinner Lavender was again scowling at Carya and even Ron couldn't cheer his best friend up this time. 

Before the kids went to bed Carya remembered that she would have detention next morning with Professor Snape. And at seven a.m. too, she really hated mornings. Luckily this night was indeed restful and she woke up at six. 

Her night had been pretty good in fact and the dreams for once had been really pleasant which put her into a rather cheerful mood. Once she had dressed she left the dorm and Common Room without waking anyone.

Carya proceeded down to the kitchens to grab something to eat since breakfast would be when she was still serving detention. At the same time Severus Snape was already up and working. He had to make some potions for the infirmary and the Wolfsbane Potion for Lupin. 

He was experimenting on an improvement of the potion and Lupin had agreed to play his guinea-pig for that. One minute before seven he heard a knock on the door. 

"Come in," he said knowing who would be on the other side of his door.

The Potter girl walked into his office and waited for her Professor to tell her what she had to do. He was concentrating on his cauldron right now and Carya, although you'd not get her to admit that in public, thought that she liked watching him while making potions. 

He looked completely different from class and you could clearly see that his only passion was potion-making. He seemed completely at ease with nothing but cauldrons and ingredients surrounding him and no students anywhere near to mess something up.

"You will clean those cauldrons over there without magic. Necessary items are in the cupboard on the right," Snape said without even looking up. 

His tone was cold but Carya didn't really mind since he always was like this. She just nodded and got to work quietly as not to disturb him. The girl hated cleaning cauldrons just like everyone else but it was necessary with potions so she worked as quick as possible without being sloppy. 

She didn't notice her Professor watching from the corner of his eyes. Carya grimaced like everyone else did when she started on a slime covered cauldron but tried to get that done as quickly as possible. 

Normally the students in his detentions needed three or four hours to properly clean half of the cauldrons but the girl was already done with all of them after two hours. She didn't think that he would let her go this early so she waited for another assignment.

"You're done? Fine, on the table on your left are a few potions. They need to be relabelled and sorted into the shelf in the right order. I trust you know how to?" he inquired and Carya nodded. 

She knew exactly how to order the potions. Most people would just sort them alphabetically but you had to sort them by type, effect and durability and it was important to know if they needed constant cooling or had to be stored in any special way. 

Sirius had told her about it although he sucked at Potions in general. And she didn't even need to remember everything. The book on the table with the vials would tell her everything she needed to know if she knew how to use it properly. 

The girl started sorting the potions first and put them on the table in the right order. After that she took vial after vial and replaced the old almost faded labels with new ones. She also tried to keep her writing as neat and readable as possible. 

By half past ten she was almost finished with that too. Carya had only those potions left on the desk which needed constant cooling and she asked her professor where to put them.

"Professor? Where do you put the potions that need constant cooling?" she wanted to know. 

Snape just pointed his head over to something that looked like a very old refrigerator and went back to work. Carya raised an eyebrow but wisely didn't say anything. She just stored away the potions and again waited for a reaction from her teacher.

"Already finished? Well, you can help me with those healing and sleeping draughts I have to make for the infirmary. Clean out the vials on the work table and cut the shrivelfigs. Same size for the pieces if you don't mind," he told her gruffly and turned his attention to the cauldron in front of him.

"After that you can crush those snake fangs and set up a cauldron with water for boiling. Do you remember the healing draught we made earlier this year?" he asked and the girl just nodded. 

"Good, you'll make it then. And don't botch it!" the professor said sternly.

Carya knew this should be meant as a punishment but she too enjoyed making potions and was quite happy about this type of _'punishment'_. Yes, she really did like this detention better than the last even if it did take up her whole Sunday.

  
  
Both were working really concentrated and the next thing that interrupted them was Carya's stomach when it rumbled quite loudly demanding attention. Snape glanced at the clock and discovered that it was already past lunch. 

"Do you need to eat something now?" he asked without his usual coldness which surprised Carya.

"Not really, sir. I'd rather finish this first," the girl answered honestly and he nodded curtly before they got back to work.

It was three in the afternoon when they had completed the work on the potions for the infirmary. The Professor dismissed her and again wondered where she got her talent from. Carya went straight to the kitchens and grabbed an apple and a few sandwiches. 

She then searched for her friends. She found them in their secret rooms. And was instantly assaulted with question about the last eight hours.

"Carya! There you are. Where have you been all those hours? Don't tell me Snape kept you all the time," Hermione began and Carya smirked at her.

"Exactly, Hermione, all the time and I didn't even realise it," she told her friend grinning happily.

"You had detention with Snape for eight bloody hours? What the hell did he make you do?" Ginny asked exasperated.

"Not much, really. At first, well, for two hours I was just cleaning dirty cauldrons. Then for the next one and a half hour I relabelled potions vials and stored them in the right order and place. After that I had to prepare some ingredients for the sleeping potions he had to make for the infirmary. 

And finally I was told to make a huge batch of the simple healing draught we learnt earlier this year. Oh come on, it was perfect. He checked it and said it was good work, really!" Carya explained, "It was the best detention ever, I think. Well, if you leave out the first part that is."

When they sat down at the Slytherin table for dinner, her friends were still looking as if she'd gone crazy. Her friends and brother were only staring at her dumbfounded. Here stood a girl that had just finished eight hours of detention and was actually **_happy_** about it. 

Carya only smirked at them. Snape might not exactly like them but he was never truly unfair towards any Slytherin. The three kids still looked oddly at Carya and she continuously shook her head at their antics. It was really funny but she also could understand their confusion.

The teachers did notice too and wondered what had happened to make the four of them behave like that. When Carya repeatedly rolled her eyes and started grinning after Harry had said something. Albus Dumbledore asked the Potions Professor if he knew what was going on.

"Severus, do you know what this is about? Three of them are your students after all," he asked.

"I don't know Albus. I haven't met Miss Weasley, Miss Granger or Mister Potter today. I also haven't seen Miss Potter since she left my office after her detention. And that was at three this afternoon," he explained the headmaster.

"If you don't mind, when did her detention start?" Albus inquired curiously.

"Seven this morning," Snape replied gruffly and went back to his plate.

The Headmaster raised an eyebrow at that. It was curious. The girl had served eight hours detention. That wasn't so unusual with his young colleague but she behaved different from most who had served such a penalty.

He also knew that Severus wouldn't have made it too easy. He just wasn't the type to pamper his students in any way. The old Professor decided to ask him later what exactly Carya had done during that time. Meanwhile the Potter girl desperately tried to get her friends back to normal.

"Would you just stop it? I told you it wasn't that bad this time. It was long but I don't mind, really! It's better than cleaning the entrance hall, don't you think?" she said and again Ginny and Harry only stared at her with their mouths hanging open, 

"You two are impossible. Perhaps I should take a photo and show Dudley next summer? He would love to see your faces right now," Carya continued grinning madly.

The name caught Blaise Zabini's and Alex Moon's attention. Although they normally didn't talk to the Potters their curiosity was too great now. Dudley was an unusual name for wizards and so they asked.

"Who's Dudley?" Blaise asked.

"Huh? Oh, Dudley? He's our cousin. A muggle but one of our best friends. You can always rely on him if you need back up for a story or help with something like a prank," Carya said grinning at their disbelieving looks.

They were children of purebloods or _'pureblood-supporters'_ and that made it difficult for them to believe anything good about muggles. When they didn't reply and all of those who had heard just stared the twins in utter disbelief. Ginny started laughing and her friends joined in a second later. 

Suddenly the attention of the whole Great Hall was at the Slytherin table where three students were laughing loudly. No one understood and they wouldn't know what this was about either. The three friends got up, looked at Hermione and she left the Hall together with them. 

The teachers were confused too. Not only did they behave oddly at dinner, no they had started to laugh in a way the Professors wouldn't have thought Slytherin's capable of and in front of the whole school at that. 

It was a heartfelt, honest laughter, something you rarely got with a student from the _'Snake House'_. The headmaster found out about Carya's detention after dinner when the students were long gone. He was just as clueless as everyone else. 

Normally after such a detention the students, even Slytherin's, would keep glaring at the Potions Master not grinning like they'd won a prize as Carya had done the whole time. 

Please Read AND Review.

Thx ,

Carya

Review responses at the beginning of next chapter!


	14. Chapter 14 Revision, Pranks and Quiddit...

Disclaimer: The usual. Look into previous chapters to see what's up. 

Author's Notes: New Chapter finished. Hey, what do you do if you've got writers block on one of your stories and thousand ideas for one or more new ones in your head? I started to write those ideas down and have loads of pages for two new stories but very little good material for this one. 

Book three (or in my case, the storyline and plot of the second original book) is coming along quite nicely. I hope to finish this soon so that I can concentrate on the other stories and book three. 

The last three chapters were coming more or less in the same week. I didn't write anything on this for weeks and then wham a whole lot of new ideas. Really crazy if you ask me 

2004-05-08

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Review Responses: 

Cleo-n-Jules: Thank you. I hope you do enjoy the following chapters just as much. Feel free to ask if you need help. I check my email daily so that won't be so much a problem. I hope that I can communicate with you since German is my native language and I only know English from school.

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Shadow Adams: Oh, Fudge will get his in the future, on that you can count. I think you'll like what I have planned for him but that has to wait a while longer (perhaps even a long while). The green hair needs a bit to come off evilgrin. Snape warming up to the twins? Wait and see grin broadly. They will get to know each other better, that's for sure ... hint

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immy malfoy: Don't worry, I will write more, definitely until the end of Book 7 and perhaps even a little more ... who knows what kind of plot-bunny hits me, eh?

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The Fallen Angel Serra: Wow, thank you! I am very happy to hear that you like my version of this so much. I do hope to meet your expectations in the future 

If I forgot someone, please bear with me ... it wasn't intentional. I didn't have much time to write on this story as I had a lot going on in RL.

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Chapter 14 - Revision, Pranks and Quidditch or Patronus and Spoiled Fun

The Headmaster would eventually find out some day what that had been about. But for now he had different problems to deal with. Sirius Black had been seen near Hogsmeade and once again the security level was increased in order to protect the students. 

When Black had broken into Hogwarts some of his teachers, especially Snape had suspected Remus Lupin of helping Black. But Lupin had an alibi. He had been with the Headmaster the whole day. Albus was one of the few who trusted him.

He also knew something that hardly anyone knew. Everyone thought that Sirius Black was just insane after eleven years in Azkaban. His attack on the Gryffindor tower seemed to prove that point. But that could have been a mistake.

Black might have assumed that the Potters were Gryffindor's just like their parents. It has never really made it's way into the press that they were sorted into Slytherin. Shortly before Black escaped the Minister of Magic had made his yearly visit to the Wizard Prison. 

The minister had told him on christmas how calm and, well, normal Black had seemed at that time. He had even asked the minister if he could have the newspaper which had shocked Fudge to no end. Only two days later Black had somehow escaped and vanished without a trace. 

And there had been no sign of him until Halloween. What additionally worried him was the lack of interest the twins showed in this matter. They either knew more than they let on or they didn't take the situation seriously. He desperately hoped it was the former.

The days and weeks flew by and soon every teacher had started revision of the years topics. Transfiguration had already started long ago so they'd somewhat less work there. But all the other subject were now stuffed with information and they got more homework than ever.

Most teachers thought that reviewing the years material now would benefit the students so they could catch up if they'd missed something. Well everyone except Professor Snape that is. He was his nasty usual bastard self and gave them a new assignments every lesson. 

He thought that they'd have to be able to review his lessons by themselves. The children's weeks were filled with classes, homework and revision. They already knew the type of potion they were making on March 3rd because they'd made a healing potion before but this one was more advanced.

"The potion we'll make today can be found on page two hundred-fifty-eight in your textbooks but I have my doubts that many of you will be able to brew it successfully. Although there maybe a few exceptions," he snarled and glanced over at the twins, Ginny and Draco because they were normally the only ones to finish a potion successful in the given time.

"I will pair you up and you will **_not_** chose the partner yourself. Weasley - Longbottom, Finnegan - Zabini, Thomas - Goyle, Brown - Crabbe, Patil - Parkinson, Miss Potter - Malfoy, Mister Potter - Miss Weasley ... Well, what are you waiting for? Get to work!" he yelled. 

That did have the desired effect on his students. As always the Gryffindor's were fuming but then they hadn't lost any housepoints within the first five minutes which was an improvement. Even Snape's attitude towards Carya and Harry had changed but only a little. 

Although he was still a bastard and never took points because they were Slytherin's he had come to accept their ability when it came to potions brewing since Carya's detention. While they were working in silence, Carya kept throwing glances at Draco. 

'I wonder what's bothering him so much. I know that his father forbid him to associate with us but he seems pretty upset about something the last few weeks.' Carya thought but got back to work.

Snape was thinking too. He was thinking about this class. When he'd gotten the list with the students names the first time he'd thought it would be absolutely horrible, well it was, but there were a few rays of light. 

And surprisingly they were two Potters and a Weasley together with Draco Malfoy. He had known that Draco was good at potions. Lucius had often told him. But that the Potter twins would be that adept to his subject he hadn't expected. 

Although it was clear that Carya had more talent in this than her twin. And Ginny Weasley was different from her brothers too. The only other Weasley Snape remembered who could brew a decent potion had been William, better known as Bill Weasley. 

The Weasley twins weren't bad either but didn't bother to pay attention in his class. An explosion brought him back to reality. Longbottom had melted the third cauldron after christmas already and god knows how many cauldrons had been destroyed since last September.

"What did you do now Longbottom? Do you ever pay attention? I cannot recall that any ingredients of this potion would react in an explosion! And you Weasley, why didn't you stop him? That will be 15 points from Gryffindor each. 

And now clean this up, quickly mind you!" he shouted rather irritated.

"But sir, I didn't ..." began Ron. He should have known better.

"Sit down Weasley! That'll be another ten points from you," the Professor snapped and glared at Ron.

Neville started cleaning his table while Ron was still glaring at his Professor. The Slytherin's of course snickered at this display and smirked at Ron who was getting angrier with every passing second. 

'You'll all pay for this. I'll get you back!' Ron thought angrily. 

He would've to ask his twin brothers to help him with his retaliation. He also forgot that whatever he did to the Slytherin's, their comeback would not be pleasant either. It never was.

The Gryffindor Common Room - Afternoon March 3rd 

"Fred, George, can I talk to you for a few minutes? It's really important," Ron said.

"Sure, dear brother what ..." began George.

"...can we do for you," continued Fred.

This always gave Ron goosebumps. Not only did his brothers look the same, they always finished each others sentences. It wasn't as strange as the Potters who seemed to communicate without even speaking but still kind of creepy. Like they were the same person.

"I need help with a prank," he told them and their eyes lit up a bit.

They smiles widened when Ron mentioned the Slytherin's as his supposed victims. 

"I want to get revenge on the Potters, our _'sister'_ and Malfoy. And I don't care if were caught either," Ron said.

"Oh, our Ronnykins is all grown up now," said one twin.

"Yeah he's following our carefully crafted footsteps," the other added and Ron just rolled his eyes.

"So, do you have something I could use?" the youngest Weasley boy asked.

"We have something, it will be fun, I promise and Potter will be pissed ..." George remarked grinning like a mad-man. 

End The Gryffindor Common Room 

The rest of the week passed quietly and nothing happened. The Hogsmeade visit on Sunday was allowed at short notice and the older students were almost all gone. The first and second years meanwhile enjoyed the first signs of warmer weather and were all outside. 

Some were flying on the quidditch pitch and others just went for a walk. Monday morning was not that peacefully. Many Slytherin's came to breakfast in a horrible mood. Someone had cut off their warm water and they had to shower cold. 

But breakfast would be worse. Luckily Harry, Ginny and Carya had already eaten something. They'd spent the night in _'their'_ rooms and gotten a late night snack at five the morning. Therefore they only drank something. 

Draco got his normal breakfast and when he bit into his piece of bread there was a strange sound and some green fog. On Draco's place sat a bright red duck. He was furious when he changed back after two minutes. 

The other Slytherin's didn't have more luck either. They turned into various red-coloured animals depending on what they'd eaten. The twins and Ginny only had some orange juice. Suddenly Ginny started gaping at them.

"What's wrong Ginny? Do I have something in the face?" Harry asked confused and when he looked over to Hermione she looked shocked too and gestured towards her head.

"Your ... your hair Harry, and yours too Carya ..." Ginny stuttered.

Carya conjured a small mirror and looked into it. She as well as her brother had red hair it wasn't a bright red but rather looked like dark red blood. They instantly knew who had done this although they didn't think it was because of the prank they'd pulled on the Weasleys after christmas.

Carya smirked inwardly and decided to spoil their fun. She stood up and yelled something towards the Weasley boys at the Gryffindor table.

"Hey, Weasley! Thanks for the colour-potion! I've always wanted to know how my mother really looked like. Only missing thing is the eye-colour!" she shouted and then grinned. 

The Potter girl took out her wand and pointed at herself. She murmured an incantation and suddenly had emerald green eyes. She looked much like Lily Evans-Potter now. And everyone laughed at this. 

The teachers noticed the similarity between mother and daughter now that Carya's hair and eye colour almost matched Lily's. The three Gryffindor Weasley's were disappointed. They had so hoped that she would be angry but she had just turned the tables. 

Now she got all attention and no one looked at them. Worse of all she openly smirked into their direction. Severus Snape felt odd. It was strange to see a slightly different version of Lily Evans in Slytherin robes at Hogwarts.

"She looks a lot like her mother, don't you think Severus?" came the Headmasters remark from his right side but he didn't answer. 

The colouring potion the Weasley twins had used on the Slytherin's food would last a few hours at best. Carya decided to go to classes this way without disguising herself or looking for an antidote like many others. 

But then again, the dark blood-red hair looked good on her and didn't disagree with her looks as it did with Draco. The potion wore off sometime during Defence in the afternoon and by the time dinner came around the Potter twins looked as always. 

They decided to wait until after their Quidditch match against Gryffindor on Saturday. If they lost they would retaliate and if they won they would let the _'Gryffindorks'_ get away with this for once. The weekend came quite quickly and the game started. 

The weather was cold and it was raining much. The teams could hardly see anything. After fifty minutes the wind started to get stronger and they still hadn't spotted the snitch. All fourteen players were soaking wet by now and it was difficult to stay on the brooms.

Suddenly everyone went quiet, even the wind had nearly stopped blowing. Harry had a vague idea what was happening because of the sense of foreboding he had. It was the Dementors about thirty of them were coming towards the pitch. 

Harry took out his wand and yelled the Patronus Charm. Carya did the same from her place on the stands. 

Harry's POV 

'Oh shit, not now!' I thought and pulled my wand out of a pocket.

My parents death was replaying itself in my mind but I had no time to pay attention to that if I wanted to survive.

"Expecto Patronum!" I yelled and suddenly a brilliant white figure burst from my wand. 

A huge white stag and a very large grim-like dog chased the Dementors away.

'It is unbelievable. My first corporeal Patronus and it looks like dad and Sirius' animagus forms. I can't believe it but I don't have time to dwell on that. I have to get to the ground safely. 

Thank Slytherin that Madam Hooch has stopped the game,' I thought and flew over to the Gryffindor Seeker as fast as I could.

A minute later I had safely landed on the ground and saw a green and black blur running towards me. That was my twin. I bet she was worried sick about me.

End Harry's POV 

Carya's POV 

'Oh no, why now? I can't let this happen,' I thought worriedly and tried to tune my mothers pleas for mercy out. Images flashed before my eyes and I knew I had to act fast.

"Expecto Patronum!" I yelled and vaguely heard that Harry had just done the same.

From the tip of my wand came the expected image of our mother but this time it was different. She was accompanied by over a dozen large snakes. 

'I wonder where those came from all of a sudden,' I thought for a second and rushed down towards the pitch where Harry was just landing. I had been worried sick that he'd fall off his broom again.

End Carya's POV 

A brilliant white stag and a large dog were coming from Harry's direction and a beautiful woman accompanied by many snakes chased the Dementors away from the stands. Harry landed safely on the ground because Madam Hooch had stopped the game. 

The teachers were stunned. It was unusual for students to succeed at this charm, let alone for twelve and a half year olds. They saw that a student who didn't belong to the team was running onto the pitch. 

It was Harry Potter's twin and once she'd been assured that Harry was alright she rather reluctantly left his side and returned to her seat on the Slytherin stands. Ten minutes later the game was resumed.

Harry caught the snitch after tricking the Weasley twins into hitting their own brother with a bludger. He was grinning at the Gryffindor's. This was his personal victory. He had not only beaten them again, he had produced a correct corporeal Patronus for the first time in his young life. 

Carya, Ginny and Hermione had stormed the pitch the second Madam Hooch declared the game to be over. Harry was hugged by all three of them and had to yelp for air before they let him go. Their Patroni were the reason that the Headmaster wanted to talk to them after the match. 

The old wizard approached the cheering Slytherin's when they left the pitch towards the castle.

"Mister Potter, Miss Potter, could I talk to you for a few minutes?" he asked and the twins first looked at each other but then nodded. 

They followed him to his office where Professor Snape joined the group.

"That was a very good spell you two did out there. Not many people are able to cast such a powerful charm at your age," the Headmaster said and Snape watched as the twins expression turned unreadable.

"Well, I couldn't let something happen like the time they appeared during practise, could I, Professor Dumbledore?" Harry said without answering the hidden question and his sister just stared ahead.

"It must have been really hard practise to learn the charm that well, hasn't it?" the old wizard continued.

"A bit, but boggarts are really good substitutes to practise on," the girl said and confused both Professors.

"Boggarts? What do you mean by that?" Snape asked curious.

"Our boggart ... is a Dementor," Harry told them matter of factly.

"Your worst fear is a Dementor? I would've thought ..." the Potions Master began but trailed of.

"... that Voldemort was scaring the shit out of us? Nope, we truly respect his powers but he really looks bloody ridiculous," Carya said snorting and Harry shot her a grin when he suddenly remembered her idea for the boggart form of the Dark Lord.

"How can you say that Carya?" Dumbledore wanted to know.

"Well, as you already know he is _visiting_ us quite often in our nightmares. Cold, high-pitched voice, snakelike face, almost glowing red eyes, deathly pale skin. You see? That's how we know," she replied offhandedly.

Harry just nodded but the teachers knew they were anything but calm inside. Both men were quite shocked by this. It was one thing to know that they remembered the night their parents died but that they knew how exactly the Dark Lord looked like, that was something unexpected. 

Even most of his followers couldn't stand to look at him without extreme fear let alone talk about it.

"At first we thought the boggart would turn into him but ... well that, ... we would have had been able to take care of easily, professor," Harry added with a wry grin.

When Dumbledore requested that they told how Harry told him what Carya had had in mind that day. In the end both wizards were quite amused and shocked by the thought and both children had lost their tenseness.

"I guess dear old Voldie would be quite pissed if he knew what we just said, eh?" Carya asked smirking slightly.

At this the two adults made a choking sound. Severus really thought that he'd only imagined her saying that but she had said it. Even Albus stared at her wide-eyed.

"What did you just say?" Albus wanted to know.

"You're wondering about the nickname, right? Well, since he has already tried to kill us **_twice_** we thought it entitled us to call him on a real name basis ...," Carya started.

"... but all of our friends are flinching and stuttering when we mention his real name, thus the nickname. Makes people less frightened because it sounds pretty funny," Harry added.

That got them two pairs of raised eyebrows and the kids were released from their _'questioning'_. A few minutes later the two wizards realised that the real question were still left unanswered. They had wanted to know if someone taught them and why their Patroni had those particular forms.

'That was very Slytherin of those two. They distracted us with their statements and led to a different topic. I guess when they are older they could rival Albus with that,' Snape thought while shaking his head and walking down towards his rooms.

The Headmaster was still sitting in his office and thought about what the two Potter children had just told him. He wondered how they came to their conclusions about the Dark Lord. He also thought that they wouldn't want to confront him willingly if they could avoid it. 

But he still didn't know why their Patroni looked the way they did. He was actually proud that they had managed to totally avoid a topic they were uncomfortable with or didn't want anyone to know. He had to admit that not many people could distract his thoughts like that successfully.

Down in the Slytherin Common Room a party was taking place. If nothing out of the ordinary happened they would win the Quidditch Cup again this year. Harry, Carya and Ginny weren't among them. 

They sat in the library together with their Ravenclaw friend Hermione Granger. Harry was pleased with himself. He had finally managed the Patronus Charm and Carya was thinking about the change of her own one. 

__

/Where the hell did those snakes come from. I thought Mum was my Patronus,/ she told Harry.

__

/Don't worry, Carya. I guess that can happen. Don't forget that we've only tried with boggarts so far or with stupid Gryffindorks in silly costumes,/ the boy tried to soothe her.

At dinner the four friends once again sat together at the Slytherin table. They went to bed early because they wanted to write Sirius what had happened in the morning. After a good nights sleep the children woke up early and decided to have breakfast in the kitchens. 

When they were finished Carya wrote the letter while Harry and Ginny suggested what she should write. Hermione was not with them since they didn't have the new password to the Ravenclaw Common Room. 

The kids sent the letter with Deimos, Carya's raven, this time since Phobos, that would be Harry's pet then, was still not back from the Dursley's.

Sirius Black POV 

Something woke me up very early this morning. The sun had just risen and I thought I heard something tapping against one of the dusty windows. And I hadn't imagined it. The strange sound was from one of the twins ravens. He had a letter tied to his feet.

__

'Dear Snuffles,

how are you? Not getting into trouble I hope.

****

We hope that too!

Give me back my quill, Harry! Stop poking me, Ginny! As I said, I hope you're safe. Did you hear what happened yesterday at the Quidditch match? About thirty Dementors appeared and Harry and I cast a Patronus.

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I managed it this time!

It was looking really cute ...

Harry, Ginny, I am writing, not you. Anyway, Dumbledore asked us to his office afterwards telling us how unusual it was for twelve year olds to cast that spell. We didn't answer his hidden questions though and even managed to change the topic. 

The rodent is still gone but we're sure that it'll come back. Slytherin won the match by the way and Harry caught the snitch. 

Everything else is back to normal. Even the Gryffindorks are back to their normal selves too. They played a prank on us but I spoiled their fun ... '

I read on and found out everything about the pranks, what the kids did in the meantime and I was updated on what was going on in the newspapers. And the twins once again made me doubt who was the adult in our relationship.

__

' ... stay out of sight and trouble, you are definitely far too careless. We don't want you getting yourself caught now, do we? Will you be in the usual place in case something happens?

Love,

Carya, **Harry** and Ginny'

'Huh? I wonder where Hermione is. Might be because it's really early today. Perhaps the little Ravenclaw is not up yet. I should write them back later. So Peter still hasn't shown up, eh? Just you wait, we'll get you sooner or later, you traitorous rat!'

End Sirius Black POV 

In the afternoon the children got Sirius reply. This time Hermione was there too. They again were in their secret chambers and therefore could discuss the letters contents without fearing to be overheard by anyone.

__

'Hi you lot,

I'm alright and yes, Carya, I'm staying out of trouble. What else would I do? ...'

"That's him, definitely ... he couldn't stay out of trouble if his **_life_** depended on it," Carya snorted.

"Eh, Carya, are you sure you mean him and not the four of us?" Ginny asked grinning and the other three started laughing.

__

' ... Glad to hear that you're okay too. Dumbledore is right when he tells you it's unusual, hell, even I cannot do that spell completely right. And I have been an Auror! You still haven't told me how your Patroni look like. Do that next time okay?

Oh, and Harry, congrats for your victory! I don't like Slytherin but I love you two and your friends are the best one could wish for. Say 'Hi' to Ginny and Hermione from me, will you? Too bad that the ruddy rodent isn't in sight right now.

Don't worry though. We'll get him sooner or later. You should only worry about studying for your exams now and not start chasing rats. And don't tell me I'm turning into a 'mother-hen'. I resent that. 

I'll never end up like Molly Weasley. Lovely woman but far too worried at times. No offence, Ginny.

See you soon,

Snuffles'

Ginny simply grinned and shook her had. Yes, her mother could be quite pesky when she was worried about someone. There was absolutely no doubt about that. Sirius also wasn't the type since he would rather get into trouble himself.

Please Read AND Review.

Thx ,

Carya

Review responses at the beginning of next chapter!


	15. Chapter 15 Marauder's Map and Traitors

Disclaimer: The usual. Look into previous chapters to see what's up.

Author's Notes: I hate writers block, I really, really hate it, not only with myself but with my favourite writers too, arrgh ... I hope we all get over it soon. Know how it feels though, all my plot bunnies ran long before easter and took an extended vacation in the Caribbean.

Since I'm stuck here in Germany, I couldn't get them back until recently when they became homesick and returned on their own. On another note ... I already got almost as many reviews for book two as for book one and I'm really happy 'bout that .

Next and probably second last chapter of book 2 finished, yippieh! I get to watch the third Harry Potter movie in Friday night here in Germany. Had to wait until then because I have to bloody work along the week and staying up for over two days straight isn't really my cup of tea.

Enough rambling ...

2004-06-03

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Review Responses:

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Shadow Adams: I love double negatives, they help confusing people evil smirk in place. Saw you managed to update too big fat smile loved the chapter and already wait for the next. Switching books suited my story perfectly since I needed them to be older for Chamber of secrets but one of my readers pointed out that logically it would really be better to have them deal with Sirius first instead of that blasted overgrown worm.

Hm, yeah, my Dumbledore is on the side of light too but he is far from infallible as you all will get to know. He makes mistakes like every other human being, is **_not_** omniscient and can get side-tracked too. The original Harry Potter was far too trusting as well in my opinion, especially considering that he had very few people that he could have trusted before Hogwarts (look at the Dursleys, I mean, who in their right mind would trust them while being treated like a house elf?)

Well, she's her mother's daughter, no? Just wait, I will make her more female than being a tomboy at times too ... she's a very emotionally driven girl after all even if it mostly shows when her temper strikes smirking broadly.

I know those problems ... just look at my A/N above gg Stupid plot-bunnies had to take a vacation when I really needed them. And now I again have been attack by some ... but sadly not for this story (would you believe me that I have **_over 230_** hand-written pages for seven other stories in my desk drawers? I certainly didn't when I sorted through my things last week giggle)

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athenakitty: _Answers Chapter 14_: Yes, he does understand. He went to school with the twins parents after all even if he hated James and the other Marauders, they still knew each other. One patronus, eh? Hmm, yeah, it's like that in the original books but this is AU ad fanfiction so I made my own rules. I too twisted the timeline by exchanging book two and three didn't I? smirks evilly I simply thought that your Patronus should be what you consider your protector in your subconscious. For Harry that's his dad and godfather ... for Carya it's her mother and the snakes ... that's still a secret but it has to do with her weird experiences concerning the Mirror of Erised ... Of course will they tell Sirius what their Patroni look like, they simply had more important things to discuss ... Why should on get a howler? He's being a prat but has done nothing that Molly Weasley would send him a howler for since she doesn't know much about what's going on in school anyway.__

Answers Chapter 13: Yes, she will actually become quite decent in the future but not too soon. Might take me a long while to allow her to do that. Puzzled people? Where, don't remember puzzling anyone but if you say so innocent looking smirk ... Well, as for Snape and McGonagall being impressed, they both think it was either brave or clever to make such a public apology. I know for sure that I couldn't do it since I'd rather crawl into the next hole ...

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Answers Chapter 12: Dear old Minerva will treat her house like the stern professor she is sometime in the future but I still think she should be a little bit softer on **_her_** students than on the others . A lot of people worry about Harry and Carya, especially Sirius. Remus is worried too as are the other Professors but only because they think the kids might do something stupid. Will the get Wormtail? Hmm, don't know, just wait and see ... eh, read smirk.

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Jamie Black: Don't worry, I have no intention on making Draco act the prat part, I've got Ron for that in this fic smile. He'll come around someday and I hope you'll still love me when I update the remaining chapter(s) sometime this month before I have to work on book 3 - chamber of secrets - for this fanfiction. I never thought that my style in written English was any good, therefore I am more than pleased to her that you actually like it beaming smile and bouncing around the room. As for most of it making sense, I keep writing everything down in a timeline while working on the story so I don't get into too much trouble

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Cleo-n-Jules: I feel honoured, thank you very much. It is very encouraging to hear such things . I intentionally had never actually wanted to post this fic in the beginning because I needed so many passages from the original first book. Can you imagine that? My sister and her never-ending self-confidence finally made my post it ... and today, I could kiss her for that. I like writing fanfiction far too much now and I'm going to continue this for all seven books (or rather my AU versions of book six and seven since I don't think that they'll both be published before I'm finished with this entire fanfic ...)

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Chapter 15 - Marauder's Map and Traitors or Moony and Padfoot

The last two weeks of March were not all that exciting. The kids attended classes and after that revised their notes from the previous month. All teachers gave them more homework than they ever had. There was not much time to worry about anything else.

On April 1st the Weasley twins once again pulled a prank but this time the four friends were not among the victims. Even though some Slytherin's were now running around with vegetables on their heads instead of hair many Gryffindor's did too.

The prank kind of backfired and the Weasleys now looked pretty ridiculous themselves. April was the month of the last two Quidditch games of the season. Slytherin vs. Hufflepuff and Gryffindor against Ravenclaw. The Slytherin's won their game without any problems.

In the end it was 250 to 0 since the Hufflepuff Chasers only were the replacements. The first string players had managed to catch the flu and weren't allowed to play but instead confined to a room in the infirmary.

Gryffindor messed up their match. The Ravenclaw's had found a new seeker, a third year girl by the name Cho Chang. The Gryffindor's only scored five times before Chang caught the snitch. Ravenclaw won 180 to 50.

This meant that Slytherin once again had won the Quidditch Cup and they had very good chances on the House Cup now. They'd won against all their opponents in Quidditch and did get quite some points in classes. Gryffindor was in third place right now, only followed by Hufflepuff.

Ravenclaw was in second place and Slytherin was first. These two Saturdays were the only distractions the students got. Most of them hardly left their Common Rooms or the library now because they studied for the exams or were doing their homework.

Draco was just the same but he had additional problems. The Malfoy child still didn't know what he should do about his friendship with Harry, Carya, Ginny and Hermione. He was sick of obeying his fathers every wish and wanted nothing more than to get out of that.

But what would he do then? He would have no money and no place to stay. Even if the Headmaster let him stay at Hogwarts which was highly questionable, he still couldn't provide for his school supplies or anything else.

May 5th was a disaster for the Weasley twins. They were once again sneaking around after curfew with the aid of a certain map when they ran into Professor Lupin.

"May I ask what the two of you are doing down here this late?" the Professor inquired.

"Eh, we ..." George didn't really know what to say but Fred thought it was best to tell the truth for once.

"We ere on the way to the kitchen for a little snack, Professor," he said and unsuccessfully tried to hide the parchment.

"Would you please show me what you're hiding behind your back, Mister Weasley?" Lupin asked.

"It's just a piece of parchment, sir, nothing special," Fred answered a bit too quickly.

"Well, then I see no problem if it's just a parchment, Mister Weasley. Now would you?" Lupin demanded politely and Fred reluctantly handed him the now empty map.

"I happen to know that this particular object was confiscated by Mister Filch over twenty years ago. Care to tell me how you came into it's possession?" the teacher wanted to know and the twins grudgingly admitted that they'd stolen it from Filch's office some time ago.

"I see. Well since no real harm has been done, I wont report you to your head of house. But I will confiscate this parchment and you will loose five points from Gryffindor each for being out of your Common Room after curfew," he added and sent them back to their dorms.

They of course were a bit disappointed to loose one of their most valuable _'possessions'_ but knew the Map by heart so it wouldn't really matter. Only downside was that they couldn't avoid other people so easily now.

Remus Lupin immediately locked the Map into one of the drawers of his office table. He was glad that no one else knew about the _'Marauders Map'_. What he didn't think to do was to activate the map. If he had done that he would've seen four other students out of bed.

The Potter twins, Virginia Weasley and Hermione Granger who currently were all transformed into their animagus forms were sneaking around on the grounds and walking towards the Whomping Willow. And he too would have seen the name Sirius Black in the Shrieking Shack.

The Defence Professor completely forgot about the map and the children as well as Sirius continued their meetings undetected. By the middle of May they'd planned another trip towards Sirius hiding place but they were shocked to see another name on their own Map - _Peter Pettigrew_.

He was hiding in Hagrid's Hut. Luckily Peter had no idea that someone other than Sirius Black knew his little secret. Since it was still thirty minutes until curfew the children decided to go and visit Hagrid.

It was already dark outside despite the fact that it was middle of May. They pretended to visit the groundskeeper and played their parts really good. Ten minutes after they'd arrived Ginny exclaimed something in surprise.

"Look, there's Scabbers. We should bring him back to Ron. My brother was so worried about his pet," she told her friends in perfectly relieved and sweet voice.

"You're right, poor thing. He must've been scared to death outside the castle with all the cats strolling about at night," Harry said with false sympathy and grabbed the rat while Carya conjured up a small cage.

The squeaking rat animagus was put into the cage and the children quickly said their good-bye's. They told Hagrid that they'd bring him back to Ron but they headed towards the Whomping Willow instead.

Hermione was a bit behind and followed them as soon as she'd fixed her robe and grabbed the cage with Peter. Meanwhile Professor Lupin had remembered the importance of the map during these times and decided to have a look at it. He saw Sirius name in the Shrieking Shack.

To his horror three of his second year Slytherin's were heading there too. Lupin quickly grabbed his cloak and put the map into his pocket. He also pulled out his wand and hoped that he would arrive in time to _'save'_ Carya, Harry and Ginny from that murderer.

'And here I had hoped the twins would understand how dangerous it is for them to be outside of the castle - especially after curfew. I wonder how he got onto the grounds without being noticed. Those three would never stay out of trouble.

Severus Snape was right for once, we really should've kept a closer eye on them,' he thought half worried and half angry.

Meanwhile Hermione who had been carrying the cage with Pettigrew had caught up with them at the Whomping Willow and they'd just managed to get into the passage underneath. Soon they knocked on the door at the end of the tunnel.

"Snuffles, its us, Carya, Harry, Ginny and Hermione. We have something for you," Harry said and Sirius let them in.

The other wizard growled darkly when he spotted the cage with the quivering rat and nearly lunged at it but was held back by the twins. Carya had charmed it with a spell that Ginny had found a few days ago. Peter couldn't get out or transform back.

In the Headmaster's Office

Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Filius Flitwick, Samira Sprout and Severus Snape were currently discussing the upcoming exams and about their houses behaviour. Severus of course didn't say anything against his Slytherin's but was rather vocal against Minerva's students.

They were after all repeatedly interrupting his class with their foolish actions. They also talked about the repeated sightings of Sirius Black. It was debated if they should allow the older students to go to Hogsmeade or completely forbid those visits.

In the middle of their discussion the alarm went off. Dementors had entered the grounds and were really close to the castle now. All five professors rushed outside to see what this was about. They didn't fancy having these creatures inside the school.

A bit earlier in the Shrieking Shack

"Hey, easy, Sirius! He can't run. I spelled the cage. He can't run and he can't change back. We have him and we'll prove your innocence," Carya soothed her godfather and Ginny just had to crack a joke then.

"Hey, Carya! Who's the adult here? You or Snuffles? You sure your personalities didn't get exchanged or something like that? Normally you're the one to explode the fastest," the girl said smirking.

Everyone started laughing or giggling and they only stopped when the door banged open. The five occupants immediately pointed their wands at the door and they were surprised to see Professor Lupin standing in the doorway.

He had a half furious half shocked expression on his face that was mixed with confusion and curiosity. Lupin had his wand out too and his hand wasn't as steady as he had liked it to. He was surprised to see five wands pointed at him though.

'I thought they'd broken his wand when they imprisoned the traitor?' Lupin thought briefly.

"Children, get away from him! He's dangerous," he told the teens.

"No! We'll stay were we are. We won't let you hurt him. You don't know the truth," Ginny stated quietly.

"You don't know who that is! He's a murderer!" Lupin now all but yelled.

"He's not! We know exactly who this is. This is Sirius Black, former Auror, Mum and Dad's best friend and our godfather," Carya answered calmly.

"He betrayed your parents. He was their secretkeeper and handed them over to the Dark Lord! He's a traitor!" the werewolf remarked with anger apparent in his voice while his amber eyes were glowing with suppressed rage.

"No he's not! You don't know the truth. Just like Ginny said. He's innocent and was framed for something he didn't do. Pettigrew betrayed our parents not Sirius," Harry replied.

Meanwhile Hermione had watched their Defence Professor closely and noticed the parchment that was halfway tucked into his left pocket. She nudged Ginny and Carya with her elbow and pointed her head towards Lupin's left side.

And both girls recognised the parchment because it was still active.

"Peter is dead, Black killed him!" Remus was getting really upset now, his eyes started glowing amber as the wolf started shining through.

They were lucky that the full moon was still a few days away. Otherwise it would have been very difficult if not completely impossible to argue with Lupin when he was getting angry or upset about something.

"Professor Lupin, please, listen to us. Look on the **_'Marauder's Map'_** in your pocket. It will show you that Pettigrew is alive and in this very room," Hermione pleaded and Lupin was startled out of his rage when he heard the name of the map.

He looked to his side out of the corner of his eyes. Never letting Sirius' wand out of sight either. He grabbed the crumpled parchment with his left hand and took a quick look. A loud gasp echoed through the room and Lupin paled.

"Where is he?" he asked softly and Carya pointed towards the cage on the table with her wand.

"Quite clever of him, isn't it? Framing Sirius and then living with a wizarding family as a pet-rat until the time was right," Carya said sarcastically and the rat quivered even harder than before.

"So you changed in the last moment? But ... why didn't you tell me?" the Professor asked completely shocked and confused.

"I'm sorry, Remus, it's just ... because Voldemort, ... he had offered ..." Sirius stuttered but Remus got it.

"You thought it was me, right? Because Voldemort had promised the werewolves a painless transformation if they sided with him? Oh, Padfoot, I understand why you didn't tell. I'm only sorry that I never knew the truth.

All those years I thought that ..." he trailed of and swallowed heavily, "... but how did you four know about this? How could you believe him when everyone else said the opposite?"

"Eh, that'll take a while to explain ... Oh, whatever! It all began with me finding Mum's diary in my Gringotts vault. There were many entries about her friends and even two photos. On the back of each photo was listed who was on the front.

They were about the Marauders. One time as humans and one time as animals. I didn't really look at them then since Hagrid had gotten us a beautiful photo album with lots of pictures of our parents and their friends from Hogwarts and beyond.

During the summer holidays last year we heard about Sirius escape but Mum had written that she trusted you the most then Sirius and well, that she never trusted Peter. Why she agreed to him being their secretkeeper I don't really know.

Anyway a few days later we found an injured dog in the park, took him home and cared for him. I always had the feeling that I'd seen the dog somewhere before but just couldn't remember. It was on our birthday that we realised who he really was.

You see, if the others had been right he could've easily attacked us, couldn't he? And then Ginny found something. The photo with you all as animagi fell out of the diary I was just reading and she picked it up.

Ginny recognised Pettigrew. He had lived eleven years with her family as Scabbers, the pet-rat of first Percy and then Ron. That's when I knew who the dog, whom we'd named Snuffles by then, really was.

We carefully planned how to tell him that we knew and the day the Minister of Magic met us in the '_Leaky Cauldron_' we revealed our knowledge. He and us were sending letters since the beginning of the schoolyear," she informed Remus.

"Yeah, and fathers _'Marauders Map'_ really helped with sneaking out to get here. I found it in my vault at Gringotts. Sirius explained what it was during our stay in _'Diagon Alley'_," Harry added.

Lupin was speechless. He knew the kids were smart and had a knack for getting into trouble but this? Now he knew why they had been so damned calm about the whole thing. They had already known about Sirius and the true traitor before the term even started.

He simply shook his head and they discussed what to do next. It was decided that it was time to bring Peter to Dumbledore and so they walked back towards the Willow and then proceeded onto the grounds.

The only problem was that some Dementors were heading into their direction. They were already close and Hermione accidentally dropped the cage. Peter fled but Carya reacted fast. She transformed without anyone noticing and ran after the rat.

Harry and Remus fought the Dementors with their Patroni but there were too many. Carya was still chasing Peter. Soon after they had started she managed to bite him and quickly transformed back. The man clutched his bleeding leg and looked fearfully at the girl.

She was really furious, he could easily see that in the dim moonlight. Peter tried to get away but Carya was faster. Without thinking about it she shot the first curse that came to her mind into his direction. She didn't care that it was a Dark Arts Curse either.

"_Ossis Frangere_!" she shouted and a bright red light sped towards the other wizard.

He was thrown against a tree and the result was two broken legs. The girl stunned and bound the traitor and levitated him back towards the lake. Luckily they weren't that far. When she reached her destination she could see someone else than the Dementors approaching her friends - two Aurors.

Carya ran over to them since it was only fifteen feet and jumped in front of her almost unconscious godfather the moment one of the aurors shot another pain curse at Sirius. It was a legal one but different to the hex that Carya had used on Lavender.

And the caster was more powerful than she had been. She screamed from the pain inflicted on her body and the curse was stopped immediately. She could see four figures approaching the strange group.

The Dementors were chased away and she barely noticed that Harry, Ginny and Hermione as well as Professor Lupin were unconscious. Dumbledore was the first to recover from the sight before him and asked what was going on. The four Heads of Houses stared at the children, Lupin and Black.

"I should knew the werewolf would bring nothing but trouble," Snape snarled.

Before anyone could say something else Carya interrupted.

"You're ... wrong ... Professor," she pressed out between weak, pain-filled gasps, "Sirius is ... he's innocent. It was ... Peter Pettigrew. He framed Sirius and ... disappeared."

"What are you talking child, Pettigrew is _dead_. He was killed by Black. There were _witnesses_," McGonagall said confused.

"No!" she cried desperately, "... He's alive! ... Please, ... please headmaster!"

The half-conscious girl pleaded with the adults until she saw that they would at least check if she spoke the truth or not.

"He's over there, ... about fifteen feet from here,... " she managed to say and pointed towards the place where she'd left Pettigrew.

By now she was hardly conscious and Sirius wasn't any better. He had managed to put his arms around the girl to try and keep her safe. That was what confused everyone the most. At first they'd thought he might try and harm her or take her as hostage but he just held the girl close.

He was actually shielding her with his own body now. As good as he could do it in his state of health anyway. A few minutes later Dumbledore and one of the aurors returned with a bound and stunned Peter Pettigrew in tow.

"Be careful sir, ... he's ... he's an unregistered animagus. ... His form is a rat. ... Don't ... don't release him if you cannot ... cannot assure that he won't get ... away!" Carya pleaded before she lost the battle against the darkness that tugged at her consciousness.

"Minerva, Samira, Filius, would you three please bring the four children, Mister Lupin and Mister Black to the infirmary? Tell Poppy that I will explain everything later. Severus you know what we'll need?

Fetch it and then come to my office," the Headmaster told his colleagues and then turned to the aurors.

"Would you please accompany me. We need to call the Minister and bring him here as soon as possible," he told them and walked away.

Snape arrived with a vial of Veritaserum the moment the Minister of Magic stepped out of the fireplace. He hadn't believed the story at first but when the aurors had confirmed everything Fudge had agreed to come over and question Pettigrew under truth serum.

Half an hour later they knew what had really happened on Halloween 1981. Sirius Black was indeed innocent and had spent eleven years in Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit. Fudge reluctantly signed the release papers while he was still in Dumbledore's office.

He could only try and make the best of the situation. He had to clear Sirius officially now and Albus was sure that the _'Department of Magical Law Enforcement'_ would pressure the ministry to pay Sirius a high compensation for the last years.

He had been an auror before after all - one of them. Pettigrew was taken into custody and brought to a temporary cell in the ministry. Over the next few days everything would be taken care of. The newspapers would announce Black's innocence on the front page.

All his belongings would be given back either - including _'Black Manor'_. Now only two things were left. The Minister had to make a personal visit to the infirmary to tell Sirius Black of the newest development and he had to ask who had injured Pettigrew.

When he asked who had done it Sirius and Remus shook their heads. Harry, Ginny and Hermione were still unconscious. But from Carya's bed came a weak reply.

"I did that. ... Couldn't let him get away. ... Bastard doesn't deserve to be free, to get away ... again," she said in her now half conscious state and everyone looked at her in shock. The last sentence was spoken with so much venom that all of those who'd heard it got goosebumps.

"Ah, well, ... that was all I needed to know. Expect to get your possessions returned to you within the next few days, Mister Black, goodbye!" Fudge said nervously and left the infirmary quickly.

Snape smirked. Although he'd never admit it, he just loved the way the young Slytherin girl could intimidate the Minister of Magic, even when she was only half-conscious. Soon he, McGonagall and Dumbledore were ushered out of the hospital wing by an overprotective Madam Pomfrey.

She still didn't know the whole story but since she knew that Sirius had been framed and was free now she didn't say a thing. Poppy made sure her patients stayed in bed and gave them a light sleeping potion.

Carya got a second one though - a pain reliever. They all felt much better when the woke up the following day. Remus, Harry, Hermione and Ginny had been awake for quite some time when Sirius opened his eyes.

"Morning Padfoot!" said Remus cheerfully and smiled at his best friend. It was so good to know that he was innocent. Remus Lupin had never felt better during the last eleven years.

"Hi Moony, how are you all?" Sirius asked and got four grins as an answer.

They didn't get to say something else because Carya was waking up. Her body was still aching a bit from the after-effects of both the curse and the rough night which was the reason that she had problems moving.

But when she realised where she was she looked around frantically. As soon as she spotted Sirius and Harry sitting on one bed she jumped up, ran over to them and hugged them both without caring about her own injuries.

"Sirius, Harry, you're okay! I was so worried," she shouted relieved and sat down on Sirius lap still hugging him although it was clearly visible that she was still exhausted from last nights ordeal.

Sirius was happy too. Now he could give them both what he had wanted to since Lily and James had died. He had already asked them if they wanted to live with him once he got cleared when they met last summer and both had agreed.

They loved their aunt and uncle as well as their cousin but it wasn't the same as living in the wizarding world. Needless to say that they were really excited about that now. Although they would try and stay at Privet Drive for a few weeks each summer.

Hermione and Ginny were happy for them too. When Sirius asked Remus if he wanted to live with them he was truly happy. Remus agreed since he already knew that he wouldn't be allowed to stay as a teacher after summer.

Albus had told him that a few students had found out and written their parents. Remus was only allowed to stay their Professor until the exams were over. Two days later Sirius got a letter which stated that all of his belongings had been restored.

He decided to leave early and make his family manor habitable again. He also got a compensation of five thousand galleons for each year he spent in Azkaban. Combined with the already large family fortune he would be considered quite wealthy now.

The twins of course were a bit sad but they knew that they'd see him in the summer holidays when they moved in with him and Remus. He left on Tuesday and said goodbye to Harry and Carya after their Herbology lessons.

On Sunday they had made a bunch of photos. The four friends, Sirius and Remus took turns and soon they'd have an album full of memories about this year. They never told anyone the whole story. Even Dumbledore didn't know everything.

They didn't tell him about James _'Marauder's Map'_ or how Sirius really got back his wand or how far the four children were really involved in the whole matter. Dumbledore suspected that they'd secretly been in contact with Sirius the whole year.

He would find out some day that he had guessed some of the parts of the story to their full extent while he was clueless about others. The students didn't have much time to get over the shock of everything that had happened over the last week.

On May 31st the exams were starting and most of them did some last minute studying. The friends did quite well in all of their exams and relaxed when they finally finished their last test on Friday 4th.

The Potter twins had written their aunt and uncle a letter that there was something big to talk about when they got home. Both of them had agreed that this couldn't be explained in a letter. The only student who couldn't relax was Draco.

He had decided what he wanted and now tried to figure out how to reach his goal. He remembered that Snape had once been friends with his father so his Head of House was out of question. Draco realised that he would have to go and speak with Headmaster Dumbledore.

Hopefully the old wizard would hear him out and could provide a solution to his problem.

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Spell Explanations:

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'**O**ssis **Fran**gere' = 'Break Bone'

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'**O**ssis Sa**na**re' = 'Heal Bone' (Not used here but I thought it would do good to tell anyway )

Please Read AND Review.

Thx ,

Carya

Review responses at the beginning of next chapter!


	16. Chapter 16 End of Year and Train Ride

Disclaimer: The usual. Look into previous chapters to see what's up.

Author's Notes: This is it, the last chapter of A Different World Book 2. I do hope you all enjoyed this part and will be with me when I publish the third. Everything will be a lot more different from the books from now on. The rating may go up though since I'm not sure where the PG13 rating ends.

Better be safe than sorry, don't you think? Here in Germany there wouldn't be such a fuss about posting me whole plot under this rating but with I'm not so sure. While I still keep using some of the events, others are completely new.

I will have to borrow a few ideas from others but they will be credited once it happens. At this point I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed a chapter or more. Your comments made me very happy and helped me through some serious cases of Writers Block since I started this series.

This is your chapter, enjoy!

2004-07-23

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Review Responses:

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Cheriniko: Couldn't let him get away like that now, could I? I've always hated that in _'The Prisoner of Azkaban'_. Nah, not too deep, at least not yet evilgrin you'll just have to wait and see, eh? You'll find out what'll happen with Draco in this chapter but also at the beginning of my third book.

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Cleo-n-Jules: Thanks for the praise and here you go ... sorry for the long wait. I'm on vacation now so I'll hopefully have more time to write.

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Jamie Black: I have already started small parts of the next book. The rough outline is there but even then you can't always avoid getting stuck, sadly though. This is the final chapter for Book 2 but I'm nearly finished with the first of book three so it's not that long until I'm going to continue. Website has an update and I'm going to try and do that whenever I post a new chapter as well.

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Athenakitty: Reread the first few paragraphs of Chapter 15 and you'll see how it backfired. I only say - vegetables. Yep Siri is going to get cleared fully and finally. Peter getting the Kiss? Wait and see for that I'm not going to tell yet smirk. The Dursley's love Harry and Carya like their own kids, how do you think they would react? They know that the twins belong to the magical world.

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Chapter 16 - End of Year and Train Ride or Visiting Weasleys and Talks

Dumbledore's Office

Albus Dumbledore heard a knock at the door to his office. It was already quite late so he wondered who that could be.

"Come in," he said.

"Professor? Can I talk to you?" the blonde Slytherin asked carefully.

"Of course Mister Malfoy. What can I do for you?" Albus said calmly and watched the boy who took a deep breath before he started talking.

"I ... I don't want to go back to my father. He keeps saying that ... that _You-Know-Who_ is coming back soon. If that happens he'll force me to become a Death Eater. I don't want that! But I need help. I cannot get away from him alone. ...

Please Headmaster, please ... would you help me?" Draco told him and for the first time in two years Albus was able to see the scared child under Draco Malfoy's icy exterior.

"Are you sure that you want to go through with this, Draco? Once you've started there's no way back," the Headmaster reminded the blonde gently.

But Draco only nodded. He had taken the whole year to think about this and his decision was final. From Draco's tale the old wizard knew that Severus had to be left outside this time. And they couldn't wait until the new term either.

Draco also told about the beating he had gotten for not being at the top of class at christmas. They would have to act as soon as possible. After two hours everything was settled. Draco would take the train home like everyone else.

He would secretly pack whatever he wanted to take with him once he got home. Dumbledore made sure that Draco would be allowed to do magic for the first week of summer so that he could shrink his belongings and put a charm on them against weighing too much.

When he was ready the boy would take the provided portkey to the _'Leaky Cauldron'_ in _'Diagon Alley'_. From there he would floo to Hogsmeade. Dumbledore would wait for the boy and take him to Hogwarts. Once he got there they would look for a place to stay for Draco.

Dumbledore had something in mind but he would have to talk to some people first. The Headmaster also managed to make sure that no one except Draco would have access to Draco's Gringotts vault. They boy had the key and his father would be denied access.

And Albus also knew of something else, something that probably no one but Lucius Malfoy and himself knew about (A/N: _Insert evil laughter_ , you'll find out later) ... On the 14th of June the students got to know the exam results. Carya was on top of second year.

She was followed by Harry and Draco who tied for second place. In third place was Hermione and Ginny was fourth. Ron was stuck in the middle. Everyone was surprised that some many Slytherin's were high on the list in that grade.

It didn't happen often that the Ravenclaw's had only one student among the top five students of one year. In comparison to the other grades the second year Slytherin's were by far the best. Soon they were sitting at their house tables at the _'End of the Year Feast'_.

Slytherin was awarded the Quidditch Cup again and they'd won the House Championship too. Ravenclaw was still in second place followed by Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. McGonagall grudgingly congratulated Snape.

She looked as if she had bitten into something very sour. Professor Lupin was nowhere to be seen. He had left Hogwarts as soon as he had graded the Defence against the Dark Arts exams ...

Flashback

The four friends were sitting in the library and looked at the parchments in front of them. They had to chose their additional classes for the next year. At first Hermione had wanted to take all but the others had convinced her that it was plain crazy.

In the end they all had the same classes with one exception. Hermione had chosen four instead of three classes. They would have Latin, Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. All students would also get another subject - Theory of Magic - but Hermione had Muggle Studies too.

Neither of the other understood that. Not even the twins and they'd been raised as Muggles just like Hermione. When they visited Remus on Wednesday afternoon he was in his office packing. They had know that he would have to leave after that year but surely he wouldn't leave without telling them, would he?

"You're already leaving Moony?" Carya asked.

"Yes, I can't stay any longer. Some of the parents are pressuring Albus. It has been difficult enough for him to let me stay during the exams. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner but I would have come to you to say goodbye. Don't look so sad. We'll see each other again in a few weeks," he told the children.

"It's not that Professor, eh ... Remus. We are just angry that they are so thick-headed. You're the best Defence teacher we could get. I don't even want to think what an idiot will take your place next year," Ginny said while Hermione and the twins nodded their agreement.

Remus gave them a grateful smile and hugged each child briefly before continuing to pack. Neither of them knew how true that particular statement would become but that is another story.

End Flashback

The feast was wonderful and everyone was excited about the summer holidays. Right now no one was worried about the summer assignments or the fact that they wouldn't be allowed to do magic over summer. Even Draco looked happier that day.

Of course no one knew why but they just assumed that he was looking forward to the holidays. Their last day at Hogwarts was spent packing. Students were running through the castle to look for lost items and the Common Rooms and dormitories were more crowded than during the whole year.

Even Ginny was happy to go home this time. She knew that her mother wouldn't tolerate Fred, George, Ron or Percy's rude behaviour towards her at the Burrow. Bill and Charlie would be visiting too and during the first week the twins and Sirius would come over for a day.

Life was definitely fine right now. At the moment everyone was laughing because Marcus Flint, the quidditch captain had tripped over Leona Moon's trunk and sent the whole contents flying down the stairs. Marcus was cursing loudly and Leona was yelling at him.

Everyone else was laughing. After a few minutes Alex, Leona's sister, went over and help the older girl packing everything back into the trunk. The three animagi decided to look for Hermione and make a last visit to their secret rooms.

They found the young Ravenclaw in her dorm. Today no one really cared if members of another house visited their Common Rooms, except Slytherin that is. But they were always a bit crazy about that.

The twins and Ginny helped her finish packing and wandered off towards the _'Founder's Chambers'_. Ginny was reading while Harry and Hermione were playing chess. Carya was talking to the portrait of Salazar Slytherin and found out some things about the books he'd written.

He also told her that there were other secrets in books no one could read (he meant the ones written in Parsel) and mentioned the _'Legacy of Slytherin'_ but didn't tell what exactly that was.

(A/N: Tom Riddle never found out about the _'Founder's Chambers'_. He only knew about the _'Chamber of Secrets'_ from History books in the Library and stories from Slytherin House as well as the portrait outside of the Slytherin Common Room.)

The twins should've told the portrait that they were both parselmouths. If they had the next year would've been much easier but then again, that would spoil the fun, wouldn't it? Carya watched Hermione and her brother and Ginny caught her staring at them.

"They make quite a pair, don't you think?" the Weasley girl whispered and Carya nodded.

"Yeah, the only ones that don't really know that they love each other despite only being thirteen is them," she told the red-head.

The four friends left the chambers for dinner and said goodbye to the portraits with the promise to be back after the summer. They couldn't quite shake of the feeling of melancholy when they walked towards the Great Hall.

So much had happened that year. And so much would happen during the first few weeks of summer holidays. At nine o'clock the next morning the children boarded the Hogwarts Express which would bring them back to _'King's Cross Station'_ in London.

Harry, Carya, Ginny and Hermione were once again lucky. They found a compartment for themselves and stayed alone most of the time. Occasionally someone would stick his or her head in and talk to them but that soon stopped.

At lunchtime the cart came by and the twins bought a huge amount of chocolate frogs, some liquorice wands, Cauldron cakes, pumpkin pasties, about a dozen sugar quills each, a big box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, some of Droobles Best Blowing Gum and some jelly slugs.

Everyone got some iced pumpkin juice as well and Hermione bought some Toothflossing Stringmints for her parents. The two Potters shared some of their candy with their friends but wanted to save some until they moved to Sirius house and some were a present for Dudley.

After lunch Carya read one of Slytherin's books that she had taken with her. Ginny skimmed through her newest issue of Witch Weekly (she had gotten a one year subscription for christmas from her brother Bill). Hermione and Harry had fallen asleep and the girl was now leaning against Harry.

Carya quickly made a few photos to show them how cute they looked together once they'd woken up. No one bothered the _'Impossible Four'_ as Professor Sprout had called them after the incident with Sirius until a few minutes before they would reach London.

The nickname wouldn't haunt them for long though. It was Ron who interrupted their peace then. He had gotten into a fight with Crabbe and Goyle and was currently on the run. Ginny started snickering and he gave her a death glare.

Luckily Harry and Hermione had woken up a few minutes earlier. They were still embarrassed by the photos Carya had taken. The two bullies from Slytherin had apparently stopped their search for the Gryffindor and went back to their compartment.

Ron looked around in the compartment he was in. He was jealous. It was so unfair. He was in Gryffindor like his family had expected him to be and he had friends too but Ginny had it so much better.

She had great friends who shared everything with her. Lavender would just tell him to buy his own candy. Life was so cruel to him. Not once did he think about the fact that he could have been friends with them too if he hadn't been such a prat in the beginning.

He left but not without insulting Ginny. The female red-head was really angry now. Her idiotic brother had spoiled her perfect day. That just screamed for revenge. Especially right now when she could still do magic.

Only once they were through the barrier on Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters the restrictions started to be effective. The twins and Hermione watched her as she looked into space with a deep scowl on her face that slowly dissolved into a cruel smirk.

Yes, she knew exactly what she would do. The perfect punishment for her brother. The same he had already gotten once after christmas. The friends waited until they saw Ron leave the train. Ginny quietly murmured the spell and watched in amazement as Ron's hair turned bright green.

She'd left out the word Slytherin this time because she wanted to make sure that everyone Ron had angered over the last days would be a suspect. All of them knew that Ron had hated his green hair. When they were finished the friends left the train too and headed towards the barrier.

They didn't have to wait long and were greeted by their families on the other side. Molly had just spotted Ginny and waved at her. Ginny smiled, she finally had a family again. Her mother ran over and pulled her into a hug. She then heard someone call the twins.

"Harry, Carya, there you are! Mum and Dad are waiting in the café over there, I'll fetch them!" a blonde boy around their age shouted and shortly after that returned with two adults.

The woman hugged both of the Potters and the man smiled at them. Molly Weasley assumed that these must be the Muggle relatives the twins were living with. But they all behaved different from what she'd imagined. They were a real family.

Nothing like her sons had written her in their letters, always complaining about the horrible Potter twins who were the _'nastiest Slytherin's ever'_. Mrs. Weasley decided to thank the twins in person for making them see what they'd loose with continuing their behaviour towards Ginny.

"You must be Harry and Carya, right?" she asked and Ginny was right behind her.

"Yeah, and you're Ginny's Mum, she has told us about you," Carya said smiling.

"Thank you for the present by the way, Mrs. Weasley. I really like the jumper you sent," Harry added sincerely.

"Mum, are Harry and Carya still allowed to visit in a few days?" Ginny asked and her mother nodded before they went back to their own family.

That was when she spotted Ron - and saw his hair.

"Ronald, where in Merlin's name did you get that colour?" she exclaimed.

"Huh? What colour, mum?" he wanted to know.

Molly just pointed at his head and pulled a mirror out of her handbag.

"What the hell? Fred, George, did you do that?" he yelled but the twins quickly shook their heads.

They hadn't even figured out who had cursed them the last time or what spell or potion they'd used. Their own only lasted a few hours and could easily be disguised unlike this one.

"Ron, did you anger one of the Slytherin's or any other student in particular?" they asked.

Everyone knew Ron hated the colour green so it could have been anyone. But Ron shook his head. Ginny of course was giggling and laughing inwardly. This was too good to be true. Although Sirius had warned them not to play the same prank again within a certain amount of time she got away this time too.

Carya and Harry had just said goodbye to Hermione and her parents and were now sitting in the car with the Dursley's. They explained Dudley the different types of candy they'd bought him and warned him to be careful with the Every Flavour Beans.

"If they say every flavour they mean it. You can get ordinary ones like chocolate and strawberry but also horse radish, vomit or dirt. With them everything's possible," Carya warned him and he got a strange glint in his eyes.

The twins knew he would use them for fun once he went back to school. He had quit Smelting's because he didn't like it there and was now attending Eton Academy. It was a bit more expensive but he was happy there and his grades had risen too.

When they got home they stored away their belongings and went down to the living room. Petunia and Vernon were already waiting. They knew that whatever the twins had wanted to talk about couldn't wait until the evening.

"Eh, Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, something has happened during the last year. You know about the fact that we had a godfather, don't you?" the girl asked and her guardians nodded. They hadn't told the kids because Dumbledore had asked them not to.

"He had been accused for a crime he didn't commit and was cleared a few weeks ago. He has asked us if we wanted to live with him, in the wizarding world," she explained further.

The two adults knew where this was leading. The apprehension the twins showed told them that they didn't want to hurt them but the question was clear. Would they allow them to leave?

Petunia looked at her husband. She had always loved them, despite her dislike for her sister when they both were children. It was hard to let them go but this wasn't their world. They belonged to the Magical World.

"We understand what you mean. You can go if you really want to. Just ... just don't forget us, will you?" she asked looking sad.

Carya surprised her when the normally calm girl started crying happily and hugged her fiercely.

"We could never forget you! You gave us a home and a family when we had nothing! If you allow us we would love to try and stay here for a couple of weeks each summer, Aunt Petunia," she said and Harry nodded smiling.

"Of course you can stay. Just make sure to let us know in time so we can stock up on food," Vernon said with an almost Slytherin like smirk.

"You're really going away, aren't you?" asked Dudley from the doorway. It would be the hardest for him. The twins had each other but he would be an only child from now on, "Promise that you'll visit as often as possible!"

"We promise Dudley. You're not only our cousin, you're our brother, friend and if I may say so with Aunt Petunia around, our partner in crime. Think about all those pranks we played in primary school!" Carya told him to cheer him up a bit,

"We cannot just leave you. We would be throwing away part of us. And you could always visit us during the holidays, you know?"

This reassured the boy and they made plans about what they had to enable the twins to move in with that godfather of theirs.

Five days later on June 24th Sirius and Remus came over to Privet Drive to introduce themselves. The Dursley's had feared that they would look like the strange people they'd seen when Lily and her husband had died. But they were different.

Sirius was wearing a pair of jeans, trainers and a plain black t-shirt. His long hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail. Remus was wearing charcoal grey cotton trousers and a loose white sweatshirt with rolled up sleeves.

"Mister and Mrs. Dursley? My name is Sirius Black. I'm Carya and Harry's godfather. It's a pleasure to meet you," he said and Petunia nearly fell over in shock. She'd seen him before but then only known him as Padfoot when he and James came to visit Lily for a day or two during the summers.

"Oh my god, you're that boy who was always putting frog spawn into my bed, aren't you? Lily called you Padfoot, right?" she gasped and Sirius gave her a sheepish grin.

"Yeah, eh, sorry about that. Oh, this is Remus Lupin. He's a friend of mine and the kids other godfather. Anyway we wanted to ask you if the twins could go with me today. I want to visit some friends of them and thought they might like to accompany us," he told her.

"Of course they can if they want to. Please come in, Mister Black, Mister Lupin," Petunia answered.

"Oh, please call me Sirius if you don't mind. I'd be more comfortable with that," he told her.

"Well, it's Petunia then, Sirius," she replied.

"And I'd prefer if you called me Remus," Remus said and Petunia again offered her first name.

She led them to the living room, went back to the door and called for the twins," Harry, Carya, your godfathers are here, come down please!"

The two children stormed into the room and hugged first Sirius and then Remus. Petunia smiled at that, she knew now where the kids might have gotten their mischievous streak from.

To be honest, James Potter hadn't been that bad in the beginning but she'd always thought about the other black-haired boy who had teased her mercilessly when Lily's friends were visiting.

'Maybe he has rubbed off on James, who knows?' she thought.

Soon after that the twins, Remus and Sirius left. Vernon was pleased that they were taking the bus doing nothing that would be other than perfectly normal. They got out a few minutes later in front of an old and dingy shop which turned out to be a wizard shop.

From there Sirius, Carya and Harry floo-ed over to '_the Burrow'_ while Remus returned home before joining them later. He had some things to do there first and excused himself. Ginny was already waiting for them and looked really cute in her green top with blue jeans.

Her dark blood red hair didn't clash so much with any green as her brothers almost orange looking hair did. Hermione was there too. Mister Weasley had collected her earlier that day. The twins met Bill and Charlie and got a clap on the back for the letter they had written.

This made the normally calm twins blush to the roots. Fred, George, Percy and Ron didn't want to greet them and they didn't mind.

"We aren't on very good terms with each other to be exact. House rivalries and ... other problems, sorry," Harry explained and earned a chuckle from Bill who could imagine what he meant.

The children now had to sit through a thorough questioning from Mrs. Weasley. She asked about everything that had happened last year. Especially the thing with Sirius. When the kids finished their tale she was shocked how much Ginny's part in that plot actually had been.

But the children still left some important parts out. No one apart from the people actually involved knew the full story. The newspapers had had a hard time because not one of them was available for any kind of statement or an interview.

There had been questions about how the twins knew Sirius, why they believed in his innocence when everyone else thought he was guilty, what role they had played in Peter Pettigrew's capture?

All of these questions remained unanswered and it took about a month for the press to calm down and return to normal topics. Now the usual articles were printed. Ministry problems, increasing difficulties to hide themselves from the Muggles and so on.

Molly didn't even think of scolding Ginny and her friends like she had planned to. What later would disturb Mrs. Weasley the most was the fact that Pettigrew had lived under her roof all the time. A Death Eater and she hadn't even known. They soon ate lunch together.

The Weasleys had set up the tables outside and now the four reluctant family members had to make an appearance. Remus had also arrived and was now sitting next to Sirius. Ron was wearing a 'Chudley Cannon's' cap and his mother ordered him to take it off immediately.

As soon as he did half of the assembled people burst into laughter. He still had bright green hair. Sirius knew who had most likely done that, only four people were suspects now. But one look at the satisfied smirk on Virginia Weasleys face told him what he really needed to know.

He knew that it had to grow out if the caster didn't say the counter-spell. Sirius felt generous and wanted to spare the boy unnecessary worries this time.

"Ron, you should know that there is a counter charm to this if I'm right about it," said Sirius.

"There is?" asked Fred and George in unison. They had tried everything they knew but nothing had worked.

"Yes there is but only the caster can do it. That probably is why your own attempts failed," he told them.

"But I don't know who did it!" Ron exclaimed in frustration.

"I might know but I'll only tell if you all promise not to retaliate. And if you give your word as a prankster you cannot go back on it. Problem is that it's holidays. You'd have to wait until you are in _'Diagon Alley'_ as underage magic would be detected here,"

he told the others and once everyone had promised on their honour that they wouldn't do anything he continued, "Ginny, will you release him once you get the chance?"

There was a collective gasp in the Weasley family. They had mostly come to terms with her being in Slytherin but that she started to play pranks like Fred and George and that she was even more successful at that surprised them.

"Please Ginny, would you take this off? I hate it and I won't retaliate, promise!" Ron pleaded and this one time he actually meant it. It was the first time for over two years that he had spoken to her without malice or ridicule in his voice.

The girl agreed and promised to reverse the spell as soon as possible. Arthur said that he'd take the two kids to _'Diagon Alley'_ the next day for that and Ron breathed a sigh of relief. Fred and George were already thinking about something like a prank contest but Carya and Harry heard them.

"You wouldn't stand a chance," they said smirking and to the other twins question of why they answered, "Because we were taught by a true Marauder, well, two actually!"

This shocked the Weasley boys, "How do you know about the Marauder's? They were the _'Kings of Pranksters'_ and they are our heroes!"

Neither Weasley noticed the amused looks passing between Sirius and Remus. The two men were simply watching their godchildren and waited where this conversation would lead.

"Because we know them. And ..." Harry began.

" ... we'll live with them from now on!" Carya continued.

"Three of them were true Marauders ...," Harry added.

"... Moony, Padfoot and Prongs ..." Carya said.

"... but one is a rat, ... literally," her brother went on.

"Eh, did you two just say you'll live with the Marauders? But we thought you'll live with your godfather and Professor Lupin!" Ron remarked confused and forgot his dislike for them for once.

"Exactly! With Padfoot and Moony" the Potters said in unison.

Sirius could hardly hide his laughter. He couldn't believe that the Weasley twins hadn't gotten the clue yet. It as simply hilarious how slow people could be sometimes.

"Though Paddy has to behave first. He still hasn't made up for all the trouble and worry he caused us last year ..." Carya told them smirking since Fred and George were so very slow that day which was proven because they just stared at her blankly.

They were pulled out of their thoughts when Sirius interrupted, "Hey, I resent that. I have promised you the best birthday party you ever had. Isn't that enough?"

He said all that in a mock angry voice that was thoroughly betrayed by his wide grin. You could see the imaginary light bulb above the twins heads as they looked forth and back between Sirius and the Potter twins.

"You are Padfoot?!? But then ... it can't be, can it? Wait a second, if Sirius Black is Padfoot then Professor Lupin has to be Moony. But who's Prongs? And what happened to Wormtail?" George asked.

"Well, You're right. Sirius is Padfoot and Remus is Moony. Prongs is ... he was our father and ..." Harry started but Carya continued. "... and the fourth was Peter Pettigrew. A rat and a traitor!" she spat.

"His name, as you know, was ..." the girl began to explain when Harry continued.

"... Wormtail or previously known as Scabbers," he concluded.

"What? Scabbers? I can't believe it, you mean we had a murderer as a pet for almost eleven years?" the Weasley twins asked shocked and the Potters just nodded grimly.

"I'm speechless. We bought that rat for our children ..." Mrs. Weasley said horrified and looked like she was about to faint.

Mister Weasley quickly changed the topic and asked the twins and Hermione all about Muggle devices. Fred and George were begging Sirius to tell them about some pranks but he refused with saying that he would get in trouble with Harry and Carya.

They both accepted that after a while and a small glare from the Potter girl. They had seen what the twins were capable of when angered and what could happen if you really pissed them off, especially Carya. But Sirius promised to tell them some once his godchildren allowed it.

Soon the day was over and Sirius returned Harry and Carya to Privet Drive. They would stay for two weeks and then move in with him and Moony. Hermione and Ginny would be visiting them for half the holidays and they would celebrate their birthday at Black Manor.

The Dursley's would be invited then too but the twins thought that maybe only Dudley would be willing to spend a full day with nothing but wizards around. The twins would have invited Draco as well but it most likely wouldn't be possible or would it?

End Part Two

Please Read AND Review.

Thx ,

Carya

Review responses at the beginning of next chapter / book 3!


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